New Pasture Saplings

[Torvy]

I try to be a Both-And person rather than an Either-Or person. As such, my advice is to pull the stumps when you can and cut the field on a regular basis until you get critters on the field that will do that for you. Also, use targeted herbicides to kill those that cannot be reached or otherwise handled by the mechanical means. In my experience, some 'saplings' are coming from actual seeds. Many are just suckers coming up from the root ball. Remove the roots and cut the suckers and eventually the roots will die. The true saplings will die off if they are cut a few times because they have nothing to draw on.

 

[goeduck]

A belt AND suspenders

 

[Torvy]

A belt AND suspenders

Nope don't need them if you are fat enough to fill up your pants!

 

[Eagle1]

I beg to differ... lost bunch of belly and my pants stay up with just a belt now

 

[goeduck]

Do belts work well with old man's flat but.?

 

[Hay Dude]

I try to be a Both-And person rather than an Either-Or person. As such, my advice is to pull the stumps when you can and cut the field on a regular basis until you get critters on the field that will do that for you. Also, use targeted herbicides to kill those that cannot be reached or otherwise handled by the mechanical means. In my experience, some 'saplings' are coming from actual seeds. Many are just suckers coming up from the root ball. Remove the roots and cut the suckers and eventually the roots will die. The true saplings will die off if they are cut a few times because they have nothing to draw on.

This is my prescription for success as well. Herbicides as a last resort or where mechanical means are impossible.
I dig a lot of 2” or smaller saplings out with a mattock quickly. I can do 50-100 in a day.

 

[CoyPatton]

Bring in a stump grinder. Get all stumps below ground level by several inches. If you are not in a hurry, you could burn out the stumps, I have good luck using 1/2 of a barrel (55 gal. drum) to keep heat and fuel close to stump if barrel will fit around stump.

 

[ugenetoo]

I'm just throwing this out there as I've never tried it but, why couldn't you put a small drip system on your brush hog/mower and apply chemicals down through a hole in the deck?
The blades make a very efficient delivery system.
2,4-D and 2,4,5-T will work when introduced to the vascular system of the woody plants.
I've noticed up here in North Maine that on CRP acres that are mowed every other year the brush tends to come back stronger, but shorter every year so what is actually happening is the bush is reacting to a good pruning.
I've deep plowed a couple hundred acres of this stuff, and the root ball on these "tiny" bushes is huge.
I've also noticed that down in Downeast Maine they clear fields for blueberry production in a similar manner as what you've done and the last eradication step is to have workers with wick applicators wipe the offending plant and they die. Rope Wick Applicator, Herbicide Wick Applicator, Weed Thief | Agri Supply
From the road, it appeared that they only touch the plant they wanted to kill.
Something to remember is that most ag chemicals are highly corrosive, so a thorough cleaning/rinsing of the mower followed by a good application of oil using the same method as the chemical drip is probably a good idea.
Do it where you don't want anything to grow and get a twofer.

 

[mikester]

I have a similar question but my issue seems to be related no-till planting and poplar suckers/saplings creeping in from the edges of the crop fields. These invasive suckers can grow 6 feet in one season. Spraying doesn't seem to control them. Would cultivating them with a rotary tiller every spring make the problem worse? i.e. just end up re-seeding the sucker roots

 

[Robert walker]

Hello all, Me and my wife bought our place about six years ago. There was about five acres that had been clear cut by the previous owner. He let it grow up and by the time we got it, it had grown up a lot. We hired a forestry mulcher to come in and clean it up. In the process of harrowing it and getting it ready to seed. My question is there are so many maple and gum saplings that just keep on coming back. I brushhog them as low as I can and just keep cutting them but they always come back and then some. What is the best way to take care of them?

i have the same problem but with persimmons honey locust. I cut the trees off at the ground and then spray the stumps with a mix of 1 quart Remedy and 3 quarts diesel. This will kill the root system. Always heard if you cut one down 5 will come back out off the root. i also spray the rosettes of thistle while spraying. I buy the cheap sprayers at Walmart, the diesel eats up the seals and o-rings in the sprayers.