Saplings and brush around pond banks. Suggestions?

[bluecanoebrewer]

I've got a driveway/(dry) pond bank that the electric CoOp cleared for me, thanks to the power line going over it. It's the dry side of the pond. In order to keep it in that shape i've been fighting the yearly battle. It's easily a 30-40 degree slope, 50 feet long, and i've been using my 35hp tractor and brush hog, driving backwards up the slope in low, 4wd, seat belted in. I know i'm not doing my manual gearbox any favors, but it hasn't busted on me yet. I should probably stop doing that.

 

[TJ96]

New tractor owner looking for some advice. I have an issue around my pond with some plant I can't recognize that likes to grow right on the water's edge. They can get quite large if left unchecked. I let them get a bit out of hand last summer and had to spend many hours with the chainsaw addressing the issue over the winter. Now there's small stumps and the freaking buggers are starting to come back again. I'd rather not have to back a bushhog up and down the bank over and over and larger the batwings seem like a bit much for my needs. Anyone have any suggestions? would a flail work well?

Note, my tractor doesn't have remotes or a 3rd function, but I've considered adding them, if needed.

Also, I'm aware of the laneshark, but I'm seriously wondering if it's worth the price. For most of my cutting needs, a bushhog would work very well. I only need something like this for the pond banks.

The pond is roughly 5 acres. Some of the bank edges have a ~1 - 2' drop to the water.

You may have too much to do with a pond that size, but here are a couple things I was looking at for use with my very small tractor...

or

 

[leonz]

Save yourself a lot of aggravation and purchase a propane weed torch and a 40 pound propane cylinder with a 50+foot long propane hose from the propane dealer for the torch regulator. It will look ugly for a while but if all you want is less work and aggravation get the "good" weed torch and the 40 pound propane tank.
The cost of propane for a bunch of years and the best weed torch or 2 flame roofing torch and the fifty foot hose will be much less than a flail mower.
The 2 head roofing torch will burn the brush quicker and cover more area more quickly than the good weed burner with the single burner.

 

[shadowm77]

how about a backhoe get rid of those roots and then till and replant with grass

 

[the old grind]

My experience with the propane weed burner does little to reduce re-sprouting, especially of woody brush. I've used the backhoe to loosen soil around larger olives and honeysuckles ... to be grappled/grubbed with less dirt among the roots. I do a lot of seat-hopping when working the shore, cheat by having three machines vs swapping implements as often.

btw, IMO any willow roots will remind one that a tiller doesn't work so well everywhere we'd expect. Use hedge clippers and loppers to clear the tines before you park it in disappointment.

 

[gckshea]

New tractor owner looking for some advice. I have an issue around my pond with some plant I can't recognize that likes to grow right on the water's edge. They can get quite large if left unchecked. I let them get a bit out of hand last summer and had to spend many hours with the chainsaw addressing the issue over the winter. Now there's small stumps and the freaking buggers are starting to come back again. I'd rather not have to back a bushhog up and down the bank over and over and larger the batwings seem like a bit much for my needs. Anyone have any suggestions? would a flail work well?

Note, my tractor doesn't have remotes or a 3rd function, but I've considered adding them, if needed.

Also, I'm aware of the laneshark, but I'm seriously wondering if it's worth the price. For most of my cutting needs, a bushhog would work very well. I only need something like this for the pond banks.

The pond is roughly 5 acres. Some of the bank edges have a ~1 - 2' drop to the water.

Cut each tree and sapling with a saw. Then spray the cut stumps with a 25% Remedy (triclopyr 64% conc.) : 75% Diesel mix. That will put an end to resprouts. And you won't roll a tractor into the pond, or spend a ton on an implement.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I agree on Remedy / diesel for cut stump treatment. I put some in a quart spray bottle and treat each stump as I cut it off.

My red dyed off road diesel .. makes it easy to see treated stumps.

BTW .. Roundup Custom is approved for aquatic use. Always use a non-ionic surfactant with it.

 

[Tony H]

Yeah, I was looking at those, the weight savings would be nice. I'm just concerned about these stupid tree things. I want to destroy them permanently before they over take my favorite fishing spots and I'm not sure the sicklebar is up to the task at hand.

The walk behind sickle bar mowers ( I have a BSC attachment). That walk behind handle 1" saplings like butter. My guess is a mower attached one could handle larger. Having said that, I have a small man-made pond it's about 100' by 80' oval. I had same issue as you. These tree things that won't dies and cutting only sparks up multiple shoots. I cut the "tree" down to water line, sprayed a heavily diluted amount of Round-up on the stumps. Out was the only thing that kept them dead. It's been three years and we're still good. A little diluted (like 7:1) on a stump is much more efficient then spraying the leaves of a whole tree. Yes, you have a larger area but maybe if you work a section at a time.

 

[sunbeam67]

I looked on face book marketplace saw several rotary ditch bank mowers.

 

[devodad]

New tractor owner looking for some advice. I have an issue around my pond with some plant I can't recognize that likes to grow right on the water's edge. They can get quite large if left unchecked. I let them get a bit out of hand last summer and had to spend many hours with the chainsaw addressing the issue over the winter. Now there's small stumps and the freaking buggers are starting to come back again. I'd rather not have to back a bushhog up and down the bank over and over and larger the batwings seem like a bit much for my needs. Anyone have any suggestions? would a flail work well?

Note, my tractor doesn't have remotes or a 3rd function, but I've considered adding them, if needed.

Also, I'm aware of the laneshark, but I'm seriously wondering if it's worth the price. For most of my cutting needs, a bushhog would work very well. I only need something like this for the pond banks.

The pond is roughly 5 acres. Some of the bank edges have a ~1 - 2' drop to the water.

It took a lot of work but I used a stihl 131 Combi-system with Australian brush cutter blades (Best I’ve ever found) and I zipped right thru all the brush and saplings around my pond as my wife followed with some 2-4D and a paint brush. She brushed the 2-4D On all the freshly cut saplings and brush and they never came back. After they were dead, I again used the brush cutter and zipped the stubs right down to the ground and now I only have grasses and wild flowers around the pond. Watch Anton Visser Brush Destructor blades on You tube. He has several videos. The things are a bit pricey but totally amazing.