Brushhogging scrub

[nilzlofgren]

I have 4.5 acres, that in a couple of years, the wife and I plan to build our house on. The property consists mainly of Pine and oak, with knee to waist high scrub. Was thinking that I could brush hog the scrub prior to building, so when it would be time to clear, It would be that much easier. I'm not sure if the scrub would grow back. If it does grow back, I was thinking I could start now and do it once or twice a year. I was also thinking that this would help the soil nutrient content, so after we house is built, I could reuse the soil. Maybe could get it to the point where I could throw rye down as a cover until we build. Any thoughts?

 

[fsfcks]

Hopefully someone else will contribute since I'm just starting my own brush control project so am a bit short on how well it will work. However I did a lot of research and am working with my local NRCS office.

It largely depends on what the "scrub" is, and how much time or money you want to use to control it, and how effective you want that control to be.

Just cutting it is unlikely to be effective unless you repeatedly cut it so that every time it grows it uses up stored root energy, and you cut it before it starts to put energy back into the roots. That will weaken the roots and eventually over several seasons you should have less resprouting.

More likely you are going to have to use mechanical methods to remove the scrub, including the roots, or an appropriate herbicide. Your local extension office should be able to recommend something. However be careful since anything that is effective against woody scrub will also be effective against pine and oak. If you use herbicide you may need to use a cut stump type treatment, since that only applies the herbicide directly to the undesirable stumps after you have cut them.

Can you give us more details? What is the "scrub"?

 

[ktm rider]

If you are gonna build there, chances ar eyou are gonna have a dozer in there. Why not just use the dozer to clear ALL the scrb. Roots included. It really isn't tha big of a deal when you are building. You are gonna want to level off the yard eventually anyway. leveling it off will most likely get rid of the problem.

 

[zayder06]

I had about 100 acres in Arkansas that was overgrown with anywhere from hip high to 15-20 ft.Cleared it all with mostly bulldozer,some bushhogging.I Kept it cut down three times a year,then the farm whent bust,sold it to some guy from California who just wanted to live in the woods, and two and a half years later with no upkeep its twice as overgrown as before.If you can establish a healthy thick growth of cover (grasses, clovers,whatever local land management advice gives you)then your task will become considereably easier.You might have to do some spraying for weeds and definitly test the soil for fertility,but in the long run it could save time and money,not to mention it will look good.

 

[sawyerDave]

I just got done with a couple of projects like this today. I use an ASV RC30 loader with a 4' home made bush hog mounted on the front end loader, makes quick work of brush and saplings up to 3-4". You are on the right track, keep it mowed down, will bring your excavation bill down in the future! You need to mow it down about every month in Md, at least in the summer, to use up the energy stored in the roots of the trees, and bushes. Seeding with any grass also helps keep it in competition with the tree seedlings. Good luck.

 

[Lawnmowerboy48]

A shaft driven brush cutter with a saw blade mounted on it would be perfect for the job. Do not get a weedwacker with a saw blade on it, they are like a bull with tits, useless. You will probably have to spend close to $1000 to get a good one but you should be able to clear most of the property in a day, without the clean up. It would be cheaper than bringing in a machine, plus you would own the machine for future projects and it would also prevent soil compaction. Be sure to get a good harness for it as you will be far more productive the more comfortable you are.

 

[ATS/TexasTree]

There are a lot of manufacturers who put a spray attachment on brush hogs. Spraying an herbicide on the cut brush will eliminate it. Simply hogging it down may cause it to get even thicker than it was.

 

[fsfcks]

Simply hogging it down may cause it to get even thicker than it was.

Which is why I recommended identifying the type(s) of brush, contacting your local extension office, and using an appropriate herbicide such as Crossbow, 2,4-D LIVE, Remedy, PastureGuard etc. Using an inappropriate herbicide will cost you $$ because a less expensive herbicide or a less dilate mixture would have worked just as well, or because you used a herbicide that does not have good control for that brush type. Of course any herbicide and application method must not damage what you want to keep (pines, oaks).

 

[ehgauss]

I have a 5 acre field that I cleared with a brushcutter, chainsaw, and sickle bar mower as required about 40 years ago. I mowed it with the sickle bar once a year since. The woody scrub came back each year until the year I went over it with a non-selective herbicide (like Roundup - I actually used some stuff called Big-N-Tuff, which I bought from Tractor Supply Co. - it's the same stuff as Roundup, slightly more dilute, but much less expensive). That killed off almost all of the woody scrub and only the soft, grassy/annual dieback things are growing back now. Some say that mowing it two-three times per year after clearing will get the same effect, but I didn't try that.

 

[jeff-kc9ftp]

if you do decide to...

mow it off with a brush cutter, make sure your cutter blades are NOT sharp. I'd even purposely dull them if they weren't "dull enough".

Cutting with dull blades cause the leftover stubble to be tore apart. Cutting with nice sharp blades will leave nice sharp pieces of stubble sticking up. Next year that stubble will be dried out and hard enough to go right in your tractor tires.

jeff.