Rotary Cutter Rotary Cutter vs Forsythia

[Gatorboy]

...and I have to agree also with Mike.

You can just back into the bush with your rotary cutter (slowly, and low RPM), and that would work just fine, but what if there is some big rock, or steel post, etc. hidden in there.

If you have a FEL, then use that first to yank it free, then just chop it up with your mower.

Best part is, this is alot of FUN TO DO!!

 

[normde2001]

Mike, I don't have a FEL, but to combat bigger and gnarlier briar thickets than that, I devised a special tool, a small, heavy, collapsable, 3 tine boat anchor attached to about 30' of wire rope to use as a grappling hook. Just open the anchor and lock it, then throw it into the briars. It will settle to, or near the ground, then you hook it to your tractor and pull the mess loose so you can run over it with your brush hog.

 

[MikePA]

Here's the results of 30 minutes using the FEL w/toothbar and another 30 minutes using a chainsaw and a rake. I could have done more with the FEL but I couldn't get the tractor on the other side of the hedge due to the fence. I first used the FEL to flatten the hedge then I drove into it with the toothbar and lifted up...slowly. The toothbar got such a good grip that I felt the rear end of the tractor lift up. I also looked out for any sticks/limbs that might be angled towards the grill/radiator. That would have ruined my day!

There are 5 forsythia stumps there, small one in the foreground and 4 larger ones. The bush at the far end is a lilac, which my wife wanted to keep.

Before the weekend is over I will put the cutter on the 3ph and mulch up the stumps and the brush pile.

On second thought, should I try and dig the stumps out or just mow them down?

BTW, using the FEL w/toothbar (actually the tractor in general) you can get a feeling of invincibility since doing this by hand would have taken all day. The feeling of invincibility is what can get you into trouble real fast. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

 

[DocHeb]

Does the boss dislike the color of the forsythia, or did they just get too overgrown? If they are just too overgrown but you like the spring color, cut the branches to the ground every spring when the bush is done flowering, and new growth will come up during the summer. Next year's flowers will bud on this year's wood. Trim them back each year and they'll remain a manageable size.

 

[Ozarker]

Now there's a tool I wouldn't use. Sounds like it is specifically designed to slap someond in the back of the head. Did your brother-in-law make it for you?

 

[MikePA]

DocHeb, they got too overgrown. We've tried cutting them back without success. We could never get any flowers in the spring. Too bad, as I think the flowers are a beautiful sign that spring has arrived.

I checked the forecast and since showers were forecast for tomorrow, I decided to hook up the cutter today and take care of the brush pile and the stumps {see attached}. This was the first time I used the cutter to cut anything but heavy grass. Wow, what a racket when I lowered the BB60 onto the brush pile. I also discovered that the previous time (my first) I had not had the driveline the whole way onto the PTO shaft. Yikes. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif Even though the collar on the shaft had snapped, the shaft had not gone the whole way on to the PTO.

A rotary cutter is one mean machine. The ones that can handle 4" - 5" brush must be a site to behold as well as hear.

So, from the desire expressed by the boss to completion of task was less than 24 hours which included a few TBN consultations. I call that a job well done. In fact, as I was using the FEL to dump the last bucket of debris into our dumpster, the boss said, "Good job". It don't get much better than that. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Thanks to all who assisted! I have given you, as well as TBN, favorable mention. Perhaps that will forestall some future 'evil' glances when I'm reading TBN in the days/weeks/months/years to come. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[BrettW]

Wow, cant believe how good that looks. But that wont clear you from an obvious case of forsithia abuse. Looks like it's time to call the ACLU! (Plant Division)

 

[OverlyRun]

Re: Forsythia 3, Tractor 2

Mike, Here it was forsythia 3, tractor 2 today I was able to pull two clusters out with the chain but three of them were too much to pull without ripping up the lawn (I had four good size divots where the tires just stared to churn).

Not wanting to risk excommunication, I got the tractor off the lawn, and resorted to old technology - pick ax and shovel. Toothbar might well have worked, but that close to the house and stilll on the lawn, I was sure to damage something.Two hours and much aerobic workout later, I have a huge pile of forsythia roots, stems and branches ready to pile in the trailer and take away for off-site "grooming" with the bush hog. Would have been great to simply tuck the toothbar under the mess and lift....but with my luck (and skill) that would lifted them right through the nearby window for sure.

New perennial garden is planted and mulch spread around, so lawn damage is forgiven.

Lesson - keep the tractor project ambition away from the house where mistakes are observed immediately!

If it doesn't rain tomorrow I'll get the bush hog going on the fields it was meant for.

Chas

 

[Turfman]

Re: Forsythia 3, Tractor 2

I prune things like this all the time. Here's my method. I put about a yard and a half (~4500 pounds) of top soil in the F250. On my way to drop it off to the site, I swing past the place that needs the pruning job. Back the old Ford up near the item to be pruned, usually a juniper, and wrap a chain around it four or five times. Hook the chain to the receiver hitch and drop the Ford into low four wheel drive. Gently pull forward and out they come. Never fails (yet anyway!!!)

Turfman

 

[MikePA]

Re: Forsythia 3, Tractor 2

Brett, thanks. I thought it looked pretty good as well. Kinda surprised me how well everything went.

Chas, I had the same problem with spinning the wheels as I was pushing the FEL/tootbar into the forsythia. I had to be quick to back off the HST treadle or I had some divots in the yard, and this is an area of the yard that tends to be soft.

I ended up not digging the stumps out. The cutter did a pretty good job of destroying them. If they start to grow back, I'll dig 'em up then.

Finally, if anyone needs to do much brush clearing, digging bushes out etc. a toothbar is invaluable...and fun /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif