A few attachment questions for the evening...

[GarageSmoker]

I think I have no choice but to get a disc harrow with the vines that are all over my property. I have run the box blade a lot which helps but that doesn't seem to get most of them. I have no problem getting one, I have another 15 acres to deal with once I finish this piece and I see that if I don't wreak it I can always sell it for a large % of original cost.

So here's the questions.

After I run the discs all over the place then what?

Landscape rake to gather the cut up pieces?

Box blade will do the trick?

Chain (or chain link fence) harrow? And how do these differ, if at all, from a spike harrow?

Will a disc harrow deal with the small saplings that my rotary cutter whacked a few inches above the ground?

Finally...don't you think First Choice should have some contest that awards the winner with 1 of EVERY attachment there is?


I am thinking that buying attachments has a similar fever to the cigar purchasing fever I have. Is there such a thing as TOO MANY attachments?

GS

 

[njrqs]

<font color=blue>Is there such a thing as TOO MANY attachments?</font color=blue>

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

You came to the wrong place to ask that curly one !!!

 

[RobS]

No such thing as too many attachments GS, just make sure you get what will work. As far as discs go, there seem to be two categories: Light duty (typically angle iron frame) and heavy (with Box frames). The weight difference is substantial and that is what you'll need to slice what you're talking about. What kind of vines anyway? Still living? Lots of viney plants will simply put down new roots when cut, so you may be making matters worse but that's a different question.

Back to your original question, a heavy disc will do all you ask of it, depending on soil conditions. A landscape rake would be a great follow up tool though you'll have to clear it often with a lot of debris remaining. Box blade could work as well, but it doesn't have as many cutters per width as the disc. Chain harrow and others will be pretty ineffective with a lot of vegetation.

And finally, I agree that First Choice should be giving away freebies. How 'bout one to each registered TBNer /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[TerryinMD]

Now you asked a loaded question.... the answer is dependent upon the kind of vines. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

In my neck of the woods (Western Maryland), we are plaqued with a lot of Honeysuckle, Poison Ivy, Virginia Creeper, and some Kudzu (Thank God, not much!!!). We also have a couple different varieties of multiflora rose which are kind of viney and bushy at the same time.

I've never dealt with Kudzu so I cannot comment on the control of it. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The rest have been very easy to control when they're accessable. I usually try to use a combination of bush hogging and grubbing with the toothbar on my FEL. Typically, bushhogging a couple of times a year will help control the plants. If you also grub and bushhog, you disturb the roots which really helps kill the plants. The best time to do this is BEFORE they flower and go to seed. This is for obvious reasons. I've cleared out about 3/4 of an acre and have not seen much of the viney plants return. Most of the work was done earlier this spring. This past week I did the the first bushhogging of the areas and they have been fairly free of the viney plants.

If you do this two or three times a year, I think that you will get those areas under control very quickly. As a suggestion, buy some cheap grass seed and spread it as you go along. You will lose some of the seed but after a couple applications you will have some nice grassy areas.

Hope this helps.

Terry

 

[normde2001]

I've had pretty good luck getting rid of vines with just my rotary cutter. After mowing a vine covered area a few times the vines come back less and less, get mulched up and eventually go away altogether and are replaced with weeds that sort of resemble grass.

 

[Soundguy]

You could always fence it and put goats or sheep on it. sheep will eat kudzu, and goats will eat briars... ( and most anything else ).

I disc'ed my 10 ac pasture twice earlier this year. I took it down till it was 8" of fluffy brown dirt, and -0- vegetation. Just 3-4 months later, the exact same vegitation I removed is back.... taunting me..... I'm going to fence it this winter when it cools down, sink a well, run power out there.. and get goats...

Soundguy

Soundguy

 

[crown]

Norm,
Your land sounds alot like mine alot of weeds that sort of resemble grass especially if you keep it cut/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[bmac]

<font color=red>I've never dealt with Kudzu so I cannot comment on the control of it.</font color=red>

Terry, being from Georgia where kudzu is everywhere, I don't think anyone can comment on the control of this plant.

 

[tdenny]

Is there such a thing as too many tools? All of us out there in tractor world are always looking for something that will keep us in the seat. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Phred]

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

.....are replaced with weeds that sort of resemble grass.

<hr></blockquote>



Aint that the truth! If you cut anything enough it almost looks like a decent pasture!

Fred