How to cleanup sticks in newly cleared fields?

[IslandTractor]

Flail mower run at minimum height will mulchify those sticks just as if you fed them individually into a shredder. The photo below shows the results of running over 1 inch sticks left over from earlier bush hogging.

 

[sandman2234]

I knew there had to be a reason I have been hanging onto that flail mower!
That is a great idea, especially if you have the heavier blades.
David from jax

 

[michigander II]

It depends how big the sticks are! If they are small go with the flail mower idea. If they are bigger, can you borrow a spring tooth, 3pt. harrow. We used to clear lot of small fields like this. Just pull the stuff off to the side, lift up harrow and back up. You won't pull so much dirt as with a landscape rake. If the sticks or roots are even bigger, a field cultivator with sring loaded teeth will pull a lot out.

 

[SkunkWerX]

I'd use a 3 point rake for the bigger stuff, drag it into piles.
But, I would use gauge wheels on the rake, it makes all the difference, keeps it from digging in.

After the raking and piling, haul it out, burn it, whatever.

 

[Solo]

My land clearer is done with his part and I have tons of sticks scattered everywhere across the 9 acres. I have a tractor, landscape rake, chain harrow, boxblade. What is the best way to clean up all these sticks? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Bill in Jax

Do you have any kids?

Solo

 

[turnkey4099]

Jusst a weird thought. I wonder how an old dump hay rake would work? I would probably give it a try just to see. I don't think I would have to go more than a few miles from the house to find one sitting in afence row.

Harry K

 

[Kernopelli]

I found using the landscape rake to drag them to some sort of organized pile or wind row works well. Then use a grapple or load them by hand or whatever it takes. The method kinda depends on the size of the sticks too.

I agree that the rake is probably the best way to go. The one problem I have with my rake is that it often tends to ride up and over debris as it collects. To lessen that effect, I built a "ladder" type frame out of angle iron. I made each box section of the "ladder" exactly the size of a cinder block so the blocks would sit in the lip of the up-facing angle iron, in other words it made a tray for each block to sit in. On a six foot rake the frame held 4 blocks. I welded small sections of pipe facing up on 2 corners of the tray and welded a corresponding nut to the frame of the rake. This way a bolt goes through the pipe and screwed into the nut and that held the block frame securely to rake. I can take the frame off or on with just those 2 bolts. I can adjust how much "down pressure" I want on the rake by placing 2 blocks in the center 2 trays or on the outer 2 trays or simply put 4 blocks on for a lot of pressure.
To hold the blocks securely in their trays, I welded 2-10" pieces of all thread vertically on each end of the block frame. I drilled holes in each end of a piece of angle that sits on top of the blocks and the all-thread lets me bolt it down tight and hold the blocks in their trays so they don't bounce out. ( a racket strap would work just as well though) It has made a world of difference in the rakes effectiveness. You just have to be careful when making sharp turns or the end tines dig in too much.
Hope that makes sense....I'll try to post some pics if anyone is interested but can't make sense of my mish-mash explanation

 

[chh]

Jusst a weird thought. I wonder how an old dump hay rake would work? I would probably give it a try just to see. I don't think I would have to go more than a few miles from the house to find one sitting in afence row.

Harry K

I'd bet it would work pretty good. I'm clearing on our ranch. I generally brush hog over to knock out any stickups and then use a heave disc to mix it all into the ground just before scattering grass seed. Around here it is pretty much all gone in a couple of years. Big roots last longer though it seems

 

[LBrown59]

The land is surrounding my house in an equestrian type neighborhood. Most of it will be horse pasture. The landscape rake seems to just grab dirt. The chain drag plugs up b/c I I dont have a lift for it yet.

Bill

I need to rig up a way to lift a small old spike harrow with the BX1500 3 point hitch.

 

[RobJ]

This little home made 5 chisel thing worked for me. I can remove a couple for more opening. I didn't have much of a problem with the dirt.

In the end, there will be some hand work. When we cleared the place for the house, it took 18 months for me to get all of the dead staubs that would pop out of the ground.

Good Luck,
Rob