After the Mastication ( I spelled it right!😁)

[ranger danger]

So...I just had my 15 acres of heaven masticated. It opened up the forest and looks freaking amazing!! Here's the issue. It left the forest floor torn up.
Question 1. How do you recomend I level out the forest floor? I have a box blade and a forest rake. I don't want to rake up the masticated mulch. Its good for the forest and the animals. Same issue with the box blade.
Question 2. My property is/was covered in brush, small cedar trees (we call it cedar grass!) and black berries. To maintain the cleanliness of the property, I'm thinking a flail mower. Would that be a good choice? The tractor is a Kubota M6060
Before

after

 

[Gee Ray]

You could make a drag out of 5 car tires.

Add a chain and drag this around and it can bounce off the trees and not cause the big trees any damage.

 

[Doughknob]

What is…….masticated? Is it aesthetic? Or does it help the trees…..said the lorax. mine looks like the before pic. I like that better.

 

[ranger danger]

My forest was so overgrown as to be unusable. Its also a way to drastically reduce fire hazards which, in California, is a BIG DEAL!!!! It also make the property more usable.

A Masticator is a skidsteer on steroids that eats trees!

 

[John0829]

We call them a forestry flail around here.

 

[Texasmark]

A pipeline came through my property and I noticed the neighbors with lots of trees in the easement got them Masticated. The clean up crew is currently coming through the area and I'll tell you what they do with that area. They are required to plant grass on easement but fertilization and maybe top soil over the clippings and all....will have to see....will post back.

 

[jyoutz]

What is…….masticated? Is it aesthetic? Or does it help the trees…..said the lorax. mine looks like the before pic. I like that better.

Most western forests are uncharacteristically dense due to a century of fire suppression. The before photo is an unhealthy forest susceptible to insects and severe wildfires. The after photo is a much better situation.

 

[jyoutz]

So...I just had my 15 acres of heaven masticated. It opened up the forest and looks freaking amazing!! Here's the issue. It left the forest floor torn up.
Question 1. How do you recomend I level out the forest floor? I have a box blade and a forest rake. I don't want to rake up the masticated mulch. Its good for the forest and the animals. Same issue with the box blade.
Question 2. My property is/was covered in brush, small cedar trees (we call it cedar grass!) and black berries. To maintain the cleanliness of the property, I'm thinking a flail mower. Would that be a good choice? The tractor is a Kubota M6060
Before
View attachment 730535after

View attachment 730537

Whatever you do, make sure that you distribute the chips so they are not more than 3-4” deep and are discontinuous with gaps of bare soil so grasses and forbs can grow. Otherwise you will have no ground vegetation and just wood chips.

 

[Hay Dude]

How about a chain drag?

Or maybe a landscape rake?

 

[TylerLee]

chain link drag harrow works well for us.
one side is aggressive,
other side is not - good for grass seed prep and turning in small seeds.