Saplings and brush around pond banks. Suggestions?

[lostcreekranch]

No death threats from me, even though I disagree.

By leaving those areas to grow wild, you are creating an un natural habitat compared to what would be growing there if humans had never been part of the equation. Most of our habitat has been modified to the point that it's very hard to comprehend what it was like 500 years ago.

One of the biggest misunderstandings is that super thick forests and understory are not natural!!! Mother Nature cleans out the understory with fires. She chokes it out with old growth trees. The same with pasture and prairie land.

For me, the biggest issue with plants growing along the shore of a pond is how thick it can get with snakes. Water moccasins love it!!!!!

Well stated.

 

[Hay Dude]

I think the sickle mower has its place in everything from gas’s to heavy weeds. The problem is, the OP has thick saplings, which are over the pay grade of the sickle bar mower.

 

[Hardy Brothers Outdoors]

Depending on how step the banks are, seems it would be a great spot for an offset flail.

I can't speak directly to the quality of this particular unit, but have a look and see what you think. They are less expensive than I thought when I started looking.

48-in 3-Point Offset Flail Ditch Bank Mower

Best,

ed

So I have this one and am still having mixed feelings on it... For what I have invested in it, I do not look forward to hooking it up. Was just about to go out and mow and got enough rain that I'll need to hold off again for it to dry up. Here is my review and experience with this Flail Mower... if you have filled tires or wheel weights it may be the answer. I do have steeper areas that I have found backing up the brush hog is the safest approach.

 

[kenmbz]

Sorry but my tractors clear their own paths or I wouldn't have them.

Too many dead Ash trees to take Tractor back there. Hit one and see how many dead branches come down.
Brushcutter/Pole saw allows me control to get around these trees and take them down clean.

 

[Hay Dude]

I had a huge Ferri 8 foot offset flail. It was an excellent machine, but it threw a 125HP tractor around pretty good. It was clumsy and I ended-up selling it.

 

[ArlyA]

So I have this one and am still having mixed feelings on it... For what I have invested in it, I do not look forward to hooking it up. Was just about to go out and mow and got enough rain that I'll need to hold off again for it to dry up. Here is my review and experience with this Flail Mower... if you have filled tires or wheel weights it may be the answer. I do have steeper areas that I have found backing up the brush hog is the safest approach.

Thanks for posting this. This kind of experience is good to know.

 

[deelowe]

So I have this one and am still having mixed feelings on it... For what I have invested in it, I do not look forward to hooking it up. Was just about to go out and mow and got enough rain that I'll need to hold off again for it to dry up. Here is my review and experience with this Flail Mower... if you have filled tires or wheel weights it may be the answer. I do have steeper areas that I have found backing up the brush hog is the safest approach.

Thank you for this. Is your tractor ballasted? My tires are filled. This is close to flail I was looking at. What size is it?

Having second thoughts after seeing this review

 

[the old grind]

Did we ever see pics of the area(s) to be cleared? SO much good advice given here but details and best options gotta be site-specific. WIMI I use different things depending on the area/size/growth I'm going to work, say on a big weekend or maybe a bit here and there. With clearing and re-treating, and with as much as I have to work with now (machinery, experience) it wasn't always that way nor was the pace of progress.

Start cheap to curtail growth while the other resources are coming together. 'Slash' bark and use glypho on trees that are larger and or won't be removed right away. Spread the work out. Use everything mentioned if convenient. Consider renting/hiring heavy gear or help that won't be needed for long term upkeep. Man, of you only lived closer I could drop off the Terramite for a few weeks and you wouldn't be swappng-out a BH for a 3PH slasher of whichever type as often. Let's get 'em!

 

[Hardy Brothers Outdoors]

Thank you for this. Is your tractor ballasted? My tires are filled. This is close to flail I was looking at. What size is it?

Having second thoughts after seeing this review

This is the 48" one and no I do not currently have my tires filled or any sort of wheel weights. The pond bank is soft enough that I'm afraid weighted tires would cause me to sink and slide towards the water. Honestly the reach is not as far as I'd like and i'm not really on much of a slope but it sure feels squirrelly. I was hoping to use it today and we got rain so i'll try tomorrow. I have some 75# blocks I was thinking about putting in the left side of my FEL and keep it real low to see if that would create any sort of counterbalance... I think i could probably get 300#s left of center in the bucket... I really wanted to love this as my solution but so far it is not the silver bullet I had hoped for... You will also need the $1k plus investment in the rear remotes.

 

[deelowe]

Did we ever see pics of the area(s) to be cleared? SO much good advice given here but details and best options gotta be site-specific. WIMI I use different things depending on the area/size/growth I'm going to work, say on a big weekend or maybe a bit here and there. With clearing and re-treating, and with as much as I have to work with now (machinery, experience) it wasn't always that way nor was the pace of progress.

Start cheap to curtail growth while the other resources are coming together. 'Slash' bark and use glypho on trees that are larger and or won't be removed right away. Spread the work out. Use everything mentioned if convenient. Consider renting/hiring heavy gear or help that won't be needed for long term upkeep. Man, of you only lived closer I could drop off the Terramite for a few weeks and you wouldn't be swappng-out a BH for a 3PH slasher of whichever type as often. Let's get 'em!

Agreed. I hope to get some tomorrow. I’ve had a few issues with the tractor that have taken precedence for now unfortunately. I posted about them in the Kubota section.