dingeryote
Blueberry Baron
What do you have against Sassafras?
Like woodchucks, it ain't a problem if it stays out of your crop field.
Sassafrass likes to pop up between blueberry bushes, and right next to a bush. Lop it off and it sends out another runner to come up further down the row. Pretty soon, you have 200' of a blueberry row with Sassafrass popping up.
Glyphosate on the lopped stubs doesn't help, and anything that will kill Sassafrass roots, will kill the bushes as well because of root to root contact. Velpar will knock Sassafrass back, but you run the risk of killing bushes or losing a couple years production if you knock the bushes back. There is no winning with the stuff, so it's a constant defensive battle.
Every fall we run Velpar on the margins to kill off the runners coming out of the tree lines, then run a root ripper down 3' to keep new invaders out. Then spend winter pruning and pulling out the Sassafrass that is coming up. I swear Sassafrass grows all winter.
I like burning it as well for shoulder season and for quick starts, and we have an endless supply in the woodlot.
But like Grape vine, once it gets into the field, it's war.
Anybody else make thier own File' from Sassafrass leaves?
I get a twisted sense of satisfaction from eating, burning, and killing the stuff, but darnif it isn't a handy and usefull Tree species.
Stay safe!
Dingeryote