Mulcher for sagebrush on rocky ground?

[Sierraau]

I've got a Kioti 7320 and I am looking for some sort of mulcher that can operate in rocky ground. I have a bunch of sagebrush on my property that is 3" high and pretty thick- too thick to see any underlying rocks up to 2' tall. Do anyone have any recommendations on what I can use to clear the land without destroying both the tractor or the attachment? I do have a 10' wide mower with two heads, but I took it out last fall in in just a few minutes I hit my first rock that dinged up one of the blades pretty good. Not a long term solution for sure. Also so how would the mulcher handle thick ponderosa pine needles?

 

[jyoutz]

I've got a Kioti 7320 and I am looking for some sort of mulcher that can operate in rocky ground. I have a bunch of sagebrush on my property that is 3" high and pretty thick- too thick to see any underlying rocks up to 2' tall. Do anyone have any recommendations on what I can use to clear the land without destroying both the tractor or the attachment? I do have a 10' wide mower with two heads, but I took it out last fall in in just a few minutes I hit my first rock that dinged up one of the blades pretty good. Not a long term solution for sure. Also so how would the mulcher handle thick ponderosa pine needles?

Rocks and cutters simply don’t work well together. A forestry masticator on a skid steer or excavator would work better, but large rocks would put those out of commission when the chipper teeth start breaking. With that size rocks, a small dozer with the blade held several inches above the ground would be the best option. After removing the bulk of the sage and maybe some rocks by pushing into piles or windrows, you might be able to use the cutter to finish the job and maintain the area.

 

[mikester]

Rent one of these

 

[oosik]

I have a couple areas on my property with sage brush. I guess I'm just lucky. I don't have a rotary cutter, of any type, to bust up. I sure do have the rocks though.

My solution is not quick - is not easy - however, it is permanent. With my light Stihl chain saw - cut down the sage at ground level. With the grapple on the tractor - pick and pile the surface rocks.

Then - put the Wally on the 3-point. Go back and chip all the sage.

An appropriate chemical sprayed on the sage stumps will - mostly - end this problem.

I spent the better part of three summers clearing and making a two acre meadow. I ended up using a rototiller and planting it back to native wildflowers.

One hell of a lot of work to make the birds and bees happy. However - it is very pretty and colorful in the spring and early summer.

 

[lman]

I've got a Kioti 7320 and I am looking for some sort of mulcher that can operate in rocky ground. I have a bunch of sagebrush on my property that is 3" high and pretty thick- too thick to see any underlying rocks up to 2' tall. Do anyone have any recommendations on what I can use to clear the land without destroying both the tractor or the attachment? I do have a 10' wide mower with two heads, but I took it out last fall in in just a few minutes I hit my first rock that dinged up one of the blades pretty good. Not a long term solution for sure. Also so how would the mulcher handle thick ponderosa pine needles?

If the sagebrush is only 3" high and the rocks are 2' tall, removing the rocks may be the priority.

 

[scootr]

Similar problems here. We modified an old BH, cut the blades down and added hardened 3/8 chain. It's been working like a charm. While I try to avoid the rocks, hitting them does not hurt the chains like it did the sharpened blades.

 

[Snobdds]

Fire.

That is the best way to remove sage brush. It's too bad you are where you are, that kind of prevents that.

If you want to tear equipment up, than go for it. Otherwise, manual removal is the second most cost effective way. It is obviously not the best at time efficiency.

We burn them here in Wyoming.

 

[jyoutz]

View attachment 2105356
Rent one of these

Those break when you try to mulch large rocks.

 

[Hay Dude]

Weed wacker with saw blade?

 

[scootr]

To be clear, a 2 ft tall rock is going to damage or tip your tractor over. These need to be located and marked with a stake or something before you try anything. Backing in a little at a time may be one approach. In any case there is going to be some handwork required to make this a mowable parcel. I recently reclaimed the neighbors 5 ac field that was covered in scattered rocks up to 12" diameter and growth 5ft tall. The first mowing cost me a set of hammers for the flail. $400. The I disced and cleared the rock and afterwards I modified the mower shown above. Now I keep it mowed and he pays annually.
Some of the surface rock removed.

 

[bcp]

This first.

Bruce

 

[scootr]

This first.

View attachment 2105402


Bruce

A guy can dream

 

[jyoutz]

A guy can dream

Depending on the acreage, a dozer with a brush rake blade can knock out the whole job in a day and hiring this out would be the best and probably cheapest approach. Then the land would be ready for maintenance with a tractor. Many loggers have small dozers with brush rake blades. They use them for piling slash. That equipment could remove both the brush and rocks.

 

[deserteagle71]

Some of the surface rock removed.

I've been removing "surface rocks" for 20+ years now. Frost keeps pushing them up out of the ground. But "surface rocks" is a misnomer. Only a few inches of these lunkers stick up out of the ground - just enough to destroy a mower. So I have to dig down and then lift them out.

 

[mikester]

Those break when you try to mulch large rocks.

You only mulch rocks with a forestry mulcher if you are looking to buy the rental company a new machine and be a Darwin Award winner

 

[jyoutz]

You only mulch rocks with a forestry mulcher if you are looking to buy the rental company a new machine and be a Darwin Award winner

Yep, I see them broken down in the woods regularly. Even the professional contractors hit rocks with them.

 

[Hay Dude]

I've been removing "surface rocks" for 20+ years now. Frost keeps pushing them up out of the ground. But "surface rocks" is a misnomer. Only a few inches of these lunkers stick up out of the ground - just enough to destroy a mower. So I have to dig down and then lift them out.
View attachment 2105410

View attachment 2105412

Just like back home in PA!
Careful you don’t tweak your loader!

 

[Sierraau]

Rocks and cutters simply don’t work well together. A forestry masticator on a skid steer or excavator would work better, but large rocks would put those out of commission when the chipper teeth start breaking. With that size rocks, a small dozer with the blade held several inches above the ground would be the best option. After removing the bulk of the sage and maybe some rocks by pushing into piles or windrows, you might be able to use the cutter to finish the job and maintain the area.

Perhaps a rock bucket can be used to make the first pass to get all the rocks? The sage is shallow and will most likely be pulled up by the bucket (but I will need to sort the sage from the rocks so I can run over the sage with the mower and chop it up)>

 

[Sierraau]

Similar problems here. We modified an old BH, cut the blades down and added hardened 3/8 chain. It's been working like a charm. While I try to avoid the rocks, hitting them does not hurt the chains like it did the sharpened blades.

I like that idea. My two head mower is literally brand new, and I hate to mess with it, but if the chain works in it, maybe it would be a good idea. Is the deck deep enough to keep the chain from hitting it in the vertical plane?

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[Sierraau]

Fire.

That is the best way to remove sage brush. It's too bad you are where you are, that kind of prevents that.

If you want to tear equipment up, than go for it. Otherwise, manual removal is the second most cost effective way. It is obviously not the best at time efficiency.

We burn them here in Wyoming.

The original way I did it was with my backhoe. I'd pull the sagebrush out with the hoe, and move the rocks, but it is very tedious to do it that way. I am not as patient now (but I am very good with the backhoe).