Brush clearing down steep hill, need advice!

[ericm979]

Check with the county and the fire service that covers your area to see if it's ok to burn now. It's not just California, it's dry in much of Oregon now too.

If it's too steep for equipment the brush cutter is a good answer. If you're going to be using it a lot it pays to buy a good one. The one problem with brush cutters is when the brush is thick and you need to move or pile cut brush in order to keep working. You have to take the cutter off the harness in order to pull or pile brush, then start it and put it back on. That will slow you down a lot. Much of my brush is that thick, so I use a small chain saw. A good battery powered saw might be the best for this.

I have a Stihl FS240 which I use with a saw blade as a brush cutter and with a string trimmer head as a powerful string trimmer. The walk behind trimmers (DR etc) usually have four stroke engines that can't handle operating on steep slopes. Many people in my area have tried them and burnt up the motors due to slope caused oiling problems.

You'll want to remove the cut material and chip it or pile it and burn it in the winter if you have a safe place to do so and it's legal. The roots will still be alive and will send up shoots in the spring. That's the time to hit them with Garlon4. Otherwise the plants will grow back quickly.

 

[CobyRupert]

... The one problem with brush cutters is when the brush is thick and you need to move or pile cut brush in order to keep working. You have to take the cutter off the harness in order to pull or pile brush, then start it and put it back on. That will slow you down a lot. Much of my brush is that thick, so I use a small chain saw.

I often cut a bank of invasive bamboo type stalks that grow 6-7' high.
One technique that helps is to NOT cut the stalk at the base on the first swipe. Then you end up with a pile of 7' stalks that don't easily clear, stay leaning up on uncut brush, and generally get in the way and block future swipes.
I try to have first swipe take off the top of plant. The leaves will get more "mulched" as additional swipes cut the now shortened stalks.
I try to cut so that waste is short enough that no piles are necessary.

 

[ddbackhoe]

Well, goats are first vote. Weed burner is 2nd. Either one, then spray generously in spring with plain white vinegar.

 

[Ziess]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'm probably going to pick up a new Stihl FS360 with the blade cutter and attempt to attack it with that for now. I'll post pics eventually.

 

[ddgood]

I spent about 5 hours clearing brush with my Echo SRM-410U brushcutter and a chainsaw on Sunday. The Echo is a beast. I use 9" carbide tipped brush blades off Amazon with it and can easily cut up to 2.5" cedars and yaupon without any problems. As Eric noted upthread, cut brush can be an issue. I used the cutter head to drag smaller stuff to the side in a sweeping motion and use my left hand to pull larger stuff to my left. If I need both hands, I kill the engine and then start back up to cut again.

 

[Diggin It]

Not just for this thread, but for a few of the other steep bank threads .....

Is there such a thing as a mower-on-a-rope? A tethered mower/trailer type thing? Secure the main machine at the top and let the business head down the slope on a winched tether to pull it back up.

Is there isn't, would it be an exceedingly stupid thing to work up?

 

[ericm979]

There are remote control slope mowers. Some are on tracks instead of wheels. They're not cheap and are probably too small for Himalaya berry bushes. Those can get 8' high and very dense.

 

[bcp]

DR brush mower vs tall blackberries at about 6 to 7 minutes.

DR Power Mower "First Drive" and review - YouTube


Bruce

 

[cathy liebchen]

skidder with a forestry head for initial clearing, then maintain it by hand

 

[airbiscuit]

Rent something like this ($40 1/2 day). It is self propelled, but will give you a workout. It will do what you need, won't cost a ton, but you will feel it the next day.