Removing saplings up to 2" in diameter

[Freep]

I hate to mention a non-tractor-related solution (because I assume buying new stuff for your tractor is half the attraction here), but... I have a simple suggestion.

While all the above ideas sound useful (especially the Farm Show contraption), it seems to me a decent brush cutter (i.e., big weed eater) with a sacrificial blade may be the best way to proceed: Clear around the tree a bit, then cut it off at/below ground level to avoid creating 'jillpokes' (apparently this is the word for a sharp spear that has been created by cutting a sapling). This is how I accomplish the same due to sheer efficiency. I can clear the dirt around a sapling in 30 seconds or so, then once I've cleared 20 or 30 I fire up the brush cutter and lop them all off, then clear them up and repeat as needed.

If you have a flail mower that can be set very low to the ground, you can just cut the saplings and then run your flail mower over the resulting stumps. It won't be as close to the ground as the previous method, but it produces relatively minor stubble.

The chainsaw suggestion is good, but sharpening chains takes longer (for me, because I do it by hand). I'd be cautious with any digging near trees that you want to keep, as you could dig or injure up a non-trivial root. It will depend on your trees and soil and etc, but I messed up the side of a tree by damaging a big root that was just a few inches under the surface a good 20' from the trunk. I am always very careful about my trees to the extent that I sometimes imagine fellow posters rolling their eyes at me.

 

[John_Mc]

One of the regulars on here 7 or 8 years ago posted pictures of his "TreeGetter". I saved the info, but unfortunately, I've lost track of who it was that made it. He welded it up to fit the 3-point hitch on his compact tractor. I believe he got the idea from a design made to go on the front-end loader of a much larger tractor. He went with the 3-point hitch mount, since his tractor did not have enough lifting power to do much good mounted on the front end loader.

In operation, he just backed up to a bunch of saplings with the hitch down low. Once the saplings were wedged in, he lifted the hitch and pulled them out, roots and all... leaving none of the stubble left by brush hogging. He also said he had success pulling out up to 2.5 or 3 diameter trees with this, depending on the tree species.

The pictures below are of an incomplete version of the equipment. Eventually, he added teeth across the entire bar, so he didn't have to aim at each specific sapling. I've since seen another version that I thought looked better: It had diagonal braces running from the horizontal bar (near where the lower 3-point hitch arms attach) up to the vertical arm near where the upper link attaches, forming a triangle of braces. This seems like a much stronger construction to me. It would better resist bending of the horizontal bar when pulling up a sapling that was off-center. (Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of that unit). I've always thought this concept was an interesting one, however. One of these days I'll try it out myself.

Some info from the original builder:

The crossbar and the upright for the top link are made from 2 X 3 X 1/2 wall tubing.

The fingers are 15 inches total length (that leaves 12 inches sticking out from under the crossbar) and are made of 1/2 X 3 flat bar.

I left 1/2 inch in the center of each finger and tapered them back 11 inches. Each finger has a piece of 3/8X2 flat bar welded edge ways and welded to the crossbar to prevent the fingers from bending.

 

[ns_in_tex]

This is what we did years ago.
See "Cleaning the fence row is fun now"

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...-fence-row-fun-now.html?highlight=tree+getter

 

[shooterdon]

Neal,

That is a great build. I have sandy soil so pulling up trees will not be very difficult and my FEL has 4000 lbs of break out force so plenty for the task.

Regretably I have no metal working skills but if I did I would construct one. I may contact a local welder to see what it would cost to build one. Andy thing you would do differently now that you have used it for a few years?

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

...
While all the above ideas sound useful (especially the Farm Show contraption), it seems to me a decent brush cutter (i.e., big weed eater) with a sacrificial blade may be the best way to proceed: Clear around the tree a bit, then cut it off at/below ground level to avoid creating 'jillpokes' (apparently this is the word for a sharp spear that has been created by cutting a sapling). This is how I accomplish the same due to sheer efficiency. I can clear the dirt around a sapling in 30 seconds or so, then once I've cleared 20 or 30 I fire up the brush cutter and lop them all off, then clear them up and repeat as needed.

.

This is what I'm doing in my pasture. Using a brush blade on the weed whacker. I figure I'll mowing any regrowth before it's too tall for the mower and the roots will eventually die off. Costs about $30.

 

[civilian]

This is what I'm doing in my pasture. Using a brush blade on the weed whacker. I figure I'll mowing any regrowth before it's too tall for the mower and the roots will eventually die off. Costs about $30.

The problem with this is when striping top soil off for a garage build, then the stubble is in it. Pulling stumps with the roots would make spreading the top soil later. Jon

 

[Smokeydog]

Danuser Intimidator. None better

 

[Tshot]

Has anyone used a tree/post puller??? I am considering the unit that MTL Attachments makes. Looks like a pretty decent price - $850. I too have a crap load of 1 - 4 inch trees with shallow roots in very rocky soil conditions. Thought this would be a fast was to thin them.

 

[ns_in_tex]

The only thing I can think of, would be to make one tooth spacing (best if dead center), larger for when you want to take up a larger tree. Most of the time when we are doing that, we will try to break a few roots first, then push up high and uproot one side, then you can normally get under the bottom & finish pushing it out.

This is what we did years ago.
See "Cleaning the fence row is fun now"

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...-fence-row-fun-now.html?highlight=tree+getter

 

[Stomper]

check out post #86.

What have you made for you tractor - Page 9 - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota