Killing/removing Locust saplings

[whistlepig]

I do this for a living and have over 25 years of experience. Perhaps Im just very lucky and your experience is the norm.

My experience is what it is. As is yours. I suggested the OP try a small patch with chemicals, proper season, and proper leaf. The chemicals are expensive. I have fought Black Locust for over 45 years. I don't do it for a living but I have done it for a very long time. If your suggestions to the OP work out I will be the very first to thank you.

 

[robbyr]

I started my experiment this may/june. We have a lot of mesquite and a good bit of locust that we called purple or black locust. Dont know if that is correct. Fearing flats on the tractor, I cut them with a DR brushcutter. Most were probably 6-10 feet. Allowed them to grow back about knee high then sprayed. First time i sprayed with remedy mixed with diesel. They died quickly, but my bro in law told me not to use diesel but mix with water instead. His reasoning was the diesel kills the leaves too fast which are needed to transport chemical to the roots. So i followed his advice and these also died just not as quickly. Now will wait till next year but its been my understanding remedy does a good job on them. Its been my experience that when cut, mesquite comes back with a vengeance much more so than locust.

 

[Bigfoot62]

I do this for a living and have over 25 years of experience. Perhaps Im just very lucky and your experience is the norm.

Wooddust is right. I don't do it for a living, so I guess I was lucky too. I'm sorry that whistlepig had to abandon the farm because of the locust trees that wouldn't die, but you can kill them. I had a whole grove of them at the back of my barnyard. They had been there as long as I can remember. All gone now. How lucky could I be?
As I posted in my earlier reply, the Roundup, Grazon, Remedy mix will kill them. (and most everything else - except saw-briar) Again, I'm repeating myself, (that happens a lot lately ) you may have to spray 2 or three times per growing season, and maybe even for 2 or 3 years in a row to get them all, but it can be done.
BTW, I got that recipe from a utility right-of-way spray crew.

 

[whistlepig]

Wooddust is right. I don't do it for a living, so I guess I was lucky too. I'm sorry that whistlepig had to abandon the farm because of the locust trees that wouldn't die, but you can kill them. I had a whole grove of them at the back of my barnyard. They had been there as long as I can remember. All gone now. How lucky could I be?
As I posted in my earlier reply, the Roundup, Grazon, Remedy mix will kill them. (and most everything else - except saw-briar) Again, I'm repeating myself, (that happens a lot lately ) you may have to spray 2 or three times per growing season, and maybe even for 2 or 3 years in a row to get them all, but it can be done.
BTW, I got that recipe from a utility right-of-way spray crew.

I didn't abandon the farm because of locust trees. We just wanted to move farther out in to the country and left the Black Locusts behind. Sounds like you guys have all the perfect remedies for Black Locusts. I'm standing down.

 

[turnkey4099]

Too funny... I've got a bunch of hill to hold after cutting some new roads on my property (California hills). I'm planting black and honey locust everywhere I can. Fast growing, drought resistant, good in rocky soil, etc. I pray to god it spreads! I wouldn't mind at all if I ended up with the whole 640 acres covered in it. Beats that darn chamise and buck brush by a long shot. Great firewood too!

B. Locusts is outstanding firewood. Honey Locust? I wouildn't touch that with someone elses body parts. I planted a row of "thornless Honey Locust" over 20 years ago. Nice trees now. Last year one of them sported those horrendous thorns. It didn't last the day when I saw them. Even the sprouts didn't come up. I painted the cambrium with full strength RoundUp as soon as I cut the stump off at ground level.

Harry K

 

[Bigfoot62]

I didn't abandon the farm because of locust trees. We just wanted to move farther out in to the country and left the Black Locusts behind. Sounds like you guys have all the perfect remedies for Black Locusts. I'm standing down.

Hey, the "abandon the farm" line was tongue-in-cheek. No offense intended. My apologies, if I stepped on toes.

I don't have all the answers or perfect remedies. Probably, my greatest weapon against locust trees and other "pest" species, is my persistence. I don't quit. My grandfather was farming this land when I was a boy. He didn't have the advantage of herbicides or the equipment to spray them. That's why I "inherited" the locust trees, as well as wisteria, bull nettles, kudzu, etc. I have a 150 gallon, tractor mounted spray rig, as well as a 15 gallon sprayer on my ATV. I am constantly battling unwanted plants.

 

[jonyyuma]

I do know that Burning the stump or plowing the roots, only causes more to sprout up. I keep spraying them..

 

[thatguy]

Before you spend a fortune on chemicals to do battle with Black Locust give a small patch of Black Locust a try with the chemical of your choice. At the proper time of year and with the sapling properly leaved of course. And for every one you kill ten more will sprout up.

I just sprayed them with Crossbow - the leaves started turning brown within a day or two.. I dont know how Crossbow compares to some of the other chemicals suggested though..

Last year i went out and tried to pull the sapling up by hand and that was a massive fail - I was amazed at how long the roots ran and I wasnt man enough to pull them up much..

thanks

b

 

[Wooddust]

I just sprayed them with Crossbow - the leaves started turning brown within a day or two.. I dont know how Crossbow compares to some of the other chemicals suggested though..

Last year i went out and tried to pull the sapling up by hand and that was a massive fail - I was amazed at how long the roots ran and I wasnt man enough to pull them up much..

thanks

b

Crossbow is Remedy and 2,4-D. It would not make my list of products for both species of Locust.