What to use to remove Sage Brushes???

   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes??? #1  

chazzy

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2005
Messages
68
I have about 2 acres of field that are densely covered by thick grown sage brushes having stem/root diameter of 1" to 1.5" and height upto 4'. I am about to buy a 30-hp hst driven compact tractor with FEL, 66" box blade & rotary cutter.

Questions are:
> Are those 3 attachments enough to clear them, like lifting up with FEL and finish up with RC and box blade?
> If that's not adequate, what other attachment should I buy and how do I use it to clear those sage burshes? Something that is not too expensive...
> What kind of equipment damage (mainly tractor related) might occur while removing thick sage brush, and how should I prevent them?

Thanks in advance.
 
   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes??? #2  
I would strongly suggest that you get a brush guard to protect the nose and radiator.
 
   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes??? #3  
Uncle in Idaho used a 100-HP tractor and something he called a "brush beater" to clear quite a bit of sagebrush. Don't know if this is a regional term for "brush hog" or another type of cutter I'm not familar with.
 
   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes???
  • Thread Starter
#4  
I think I read an article about Idaho having lots of sage brush which is also quite common on CA's high elevation/high desert (3000'+) area. I don't think my (future) 30-hp tractor w/ brush cutter could do what your uncle did with his 100-hp tractor...

How is everyone else clearing sage burshes?
 
   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes??? #5  
Chazzy, Before I got my CT225 I had a 42" rough cut rotory mower that I pulled with a quad....It worked great on the sage on my property. Anything I could get the quad to drive through or over it would cut. Some of the dry sage had 2-3" stems and the rotory cut it fine if you went real slow. I would think you can get by with what you have (loader, scraper, rotory mower) just fine. Once its cleared a trim every six months or so keeps it in check.

Edit...I did use a battery powered sawsall on a few of the larger green ones!

Have Fun!
Mark
 
   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes??? #6  
Add a tooth bar to the loader pakage it will get ha hold of the brush better for ripping it out I use mine for the mountain laurel i have to clear.

It will help with 1000 other jobs too.

tom
 
   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes??? #7  
I have about 2 acres of field that are densely covered by thick grown sage brushes having stem/root diameter of 1" to 1.5" and height upto 4'. I am about to buy a 30-hp hst driven compact tractor with FEL, 66" box blade & rotary cutter.

Questions are:
> Are those 3 attachments enough to clear them, like lifting up with FEL and finish up with RC and box blade?
> If that's not adequate, what other attachment should I buy and how do I use it to clear those sage burshes? Something that is not too expensive...
> What kind of equipment damage (mainly tractor related) might occur while removing thick sage brush, and how should I prevent them?

Thanks in advance.

It'll work.

Keep your FEL as low as possible so it will lay down the brush. That way, it won't destroy your radiator, fans, belts, and hoses.
 
   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes??? #8  
I use a "Rock Bucket" to remove that type of shrub, root and all. Cutting them off just alllows them to grow back alll the thicker.

Andy
 
   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes??? #9  
I'm set up with a lot smaller package than you have and have effectively taken out A LOT of sage in my area - slowly. I made a toothbar and use a flail mower. Essentially I keep the bucket/teeth about a foot off the ground to push the sage over and curl/push the brush at the base to pull most of it from the root structure and get it to stay laying down. Sometimes I need to backdrag with the loader real quick to squash it flat enough. Then I make a couple slow passes with the flail and woalla.. I have sage mulch instead. Clearing tall sage is kind of a point and attack - you need to attack straight on and at the center of the bush to avoid as many scratches on your paint as possible, but it's almost inevitable. A rotary cutter will do well, but remember that sage is dry and brittle and when snapped it tends to form a sharp point - you may want to screen yourself behind your seat if you don't have a cab and keep everyone away.
 
   / What to use to remove Sage Brushes??? #10  
Use the box blade and back over the plants. Use FEL for any clean up. Radiator will be uninvolved... but a guard up front to protect the radiator is a good idea in general.

It will be even more effective if you have a box blade with two (count 'em, TWO) cutting blades, one facing forward and one back.

The rear facing blade and the tractor in a low range sort of makes up a mini-bull dozer.

Pat
 
 

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