Cleaning up the property

[SONOCATIVO]

Well this past weekend I decided to start cleaning up the property. Trimmed trees back, cut down brush...ect...
Did the last mowing of the season and mulched the leaves.
I have this thorny vine stuff that keeps growing on the hills, think Im going to soak it in roundup and hope for the best, stuff is deadly and will go right through work gloves... I hate it.

I still need someone with a bobcat to do some landscaping for me...it never ends.

 

[Bobbin]

Oooh! that looks to be one mean, nasty plant... the definition of "Medieval". I don't know what it is but I'm sure someone here will, if not, the Cooperative Extension Agency of your state's land grant college certainly will!

Round Up. Very useful, but during the growing season, because it inhibits the plant's respiration. I have a horrible problem with Bittersweet, Multiflora rose, and blackberry brambles. I use "weed and stump killer" on them, and it's an awful chore. It involves cutting the vine and then painting the stump with the herbicide, opting for the "surgical strike" rather than a "carpet bombing" approach. I've learned the hard way that a methodical, patient approach is the only way to eliminate some of these vegetative thugs in anything close to an effective manner while sparing other benign plant forms.

I methodically approach an infested area about this time of year, cutting the offending vines off "high" and tagging them with surveyor's tape. I go back out in late March/early April and inspect for signs of growth. If I see any, I slide the tape down and cut them back some more and reapply the herbicide. I've also come to accept that there is no such thing as eradication. Once a plant is here, it's here in perpetuity. You have to figure out the most effective way to control it, but eradicate? Not gonna happen, IMO.

 

[SONOCATIVO]

Oooh! that looks to be one mean, nasty plant... the definition of "Medieval". I don't know what it is but I'm sure someone here will, if not, the Cooperative Extension Agency of your state's land grant college certainly will!

Round Up. Very useful, but during the growing season, because it inhibits the plant's respiration. I have a horrible problem with Bittersweet, Multiflora rose, and blackberry brambles. I use "weed and stump killer" on them, and it's an awful chore. It involves cutting the vine and then painting the stump with the herbicide, opting for the "surgical strike" rather than a "carpet bombing" approach. I've learned the hard way that a methodical, patient approach is the only way to eliminate some of these vegetative thugs in anything close to an effective manner while sparing other benign plant forms.

I methodically approach an infested area about this time of year, cutting the offending vines off "high" and tagging them with surveyor's tape. I go back out in late March/early April and inspect for signs of growth. If I see any, I slide the tape down and cut them back some more and reapply the herbicide. I've also come to accept that there is no such thing as eradication. Once a plant is here, it's here in perpetuity. You have to figure out the most effective way to control it, but eradicate? Not gonna happen, IMO.

I sent a picture to MDC (Missouri Department of Conservation) and havent heard back yet, but have read about applying directly to the ends which wouldnt work with this as it re-roots every so often, and also read that the best way was to pull it up by the root... How when those needle like thorns go right through work gloves and these are heavy insulated leather work gloves....ouch
There is other stuff dont know what anything is, but its rampant ( thick stalked rebarb looking stuff with a batch of purple berries) but last summer I had to go to the ER and stop cutting the hill after I ran into poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac... had it all over my face, arms from using a weeddeeter...lol
I think the story of tarzan is false swinging on vines, because if he ever grabbed one of these vines he would scream like a little girl.

 

[osagebow]

Try looking up Aralia spinosa. My phone is spazzing can't see pics that well.

 

[homebrewz]

There is other stuff dont know what anything is, but its rampant ( thick stalked rebarb looking stuff with a batch of purple berries)..

That sounds like it could be "American Pokeweed".

 

[FTG-05]

Oh, you poor wittle baby!

Here's what I was dealing with this summer: 10'-12' poke salad annie plants on the side on my hill. Couldn't see past the front bucket going downhill! Finally got it all bushhogged and now I can finally see what I have.

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[BrotherBart]

Bout time you mowed that lawn.

 

[SONOCATIVO]

Oh, you poor wittle baby!

Here's what I was dealing with this summer: 10'-12' poke salad annie plants on the side on my hill. Couldn't see past the front bucket going downhill! Finally got it all bushhogged and now I can finally see what I have.

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yep thats the berry stuff, gets 10 - 12 feet tall, hill is covered in it along with that thorny vine stuff... weeddeeter is too small but no other way for me to cut the hills other than hand lobbers which was the way I did it, hill is too steep.

 

[jebatty]

Help me understand the attraction of a big lawn or mowed area. Get rid of invasives, full agreement. Many of my neighbors moved to the country because it was country, trees, shrubs, grasses, and none of which required much attention other than enjoyment. Then they quickly mow or cut it down and turn it into the city.

 

[maple1]

Re. post # 6 - I see motocross all over that. Nice!

 

[bsruther]

Those are some nasty looking thorns, glad we don't have them around here. I can deal with most of the thorny plants we do have here, blackberries and such, but the nastiest of them all is multiflora rose. Those things will hook into you and not let go, and the thorns will stay sharp for years after it's dead.

Help me understand the attraction of a big lawn or mowed area. Get rid of invasives, full agreement. Many of my neighbors moved to the country because it was country, trees, shrubs, grasses, and none of which required much attention other than enjoyment. Then they quickly mow or cut it down and turn it into the city.

We've been trying to decrease the size of our yard since we moved in. Planted hundreds of trees in the past few years. This past weekend we cleared out the last big stand of bush honeysuckle and autumn olive on the property. I have a small tree nursery with 10 each, black locust, shagbark hickory and tulip. In March we'll receive our seedling order of sassafras and dogwood. They'll all be planted in the spring.

I do't understand folks that clear areas for bigger yards either, but it's not for me to say whether it's right or wrong. I'll even help them clear out their land if they'll let me keep the wood.

 

[SONOCATIVO]

Those are some nasty looking thorns, glad we don't have them around here. I can deal with most of the thorny plants we do have here, blackberries and such, but the nastiest of them all is multiflora rose. Those things will hook into you and not let go, and the thorns will stay sharp for years after it's dead.



We've been trying to decrease the size of our yard since we moved in. Planted hundreds of trees in the past few years. This past weekend we cleared out the last big stand of bush honeysuckle and autumn olive on the property. I have a small tree nursery with 10 each, black locust, shagbark hickory and tulip. In March we'll receive our seedling order of sassafras and dogwood. They'll all be planted in the spring.

I do't understand folks that clear areas for bigger yards either, but it's not for me to say whether it's right or wrong. I'll even help them clear out their land if they'll let me keep the wood.

This thorny stuff, what I cut out 3 years ago had a long time to grow wild, it gets about as big round as a half dollar and the thorns turn into nails, they will and have punctured the tires on my rider a couple times already. I got the heavy stuff out a few years back, but this is the new sprouts over the summer, its very fast growing and spreads like wildfire.

Jebatty, nothing is turned into the city untill you start pouring concrete on everything, land clearing is just for control and enjoyment, you cant walk through 10-12 feet of brush.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Look into 2,4-D as an herbicide to apply straight to the freshly cut ends.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,4-D

 

[bsruther]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,4-D

I'll have to get some of that, if I don't have it already.
Most plants have gone into dormancy by now and won't be affected by herbicides.

 

[SONOCATIVO]

Thanks, I just want to get a head start come spring. I know the farm supply store here sells some potent stuff, I dont care if it kills everything on the hill as it will be landscaped and trees, bushes planted later, I just want to kill off that thorny crap and stop all the heavy weeds from coming back.

 

[FTG-05]

Help me understand the attraction of a big lawn or mowed area. Get rid of invasives, full agreement. Many of my neighbors moved to the country because it was country, trees, shrubs, grasses, and none of which required much attention other than enjoyment. Then they quickly mow or cut it down and turn it into the city.

I'm not trying to get my lawn any bigger, it's quite big enough (about 3 acres).

Part of the reason we moved out here is to see the wildlife, specifically deer and turkey. It's a tradeoff to bushhogging stuff down and leaving some of it up for cover and habitat etc.

But now that I can see what I've got, I can be more specific about grows in each area to maximize it for the wildlife.

Hope that helps.

 

[jebatty]

Patches of openings in a wood and shrub landscape will serve you well. You might want to check with your local department of natural resources as to what species of birds could use some birdhouses in your area. One year ago in the fall I put up 30 houses for bluebirds and tree swallows. This summer all but two held nests. Birds provide lots of activity. Enjoy your piece of Nature.

 

[SONOCATIVO]

There is a certain bird that loves scraps of materials (forgot the name of the bird) but you can leave snippits of yarn, string, and other small material pieces like strips of cloths and they build their nest from those. Depending on materials and colors the nests can be quite colorful when they finish.

 

[gzecc]

Land looks like it would make a nice golf course.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

There is a certain bird that loves scraps of materials (forgot the name of the bird) but you can leave snippits of yarn, string, and other small material pieces like strips of cloths and they build their nest from those. Depending on materials and colors the nests can be quite colorful when they finish.

American Robin?

 

[SONOCATIVO]

American Robin?

No, I will see if I can find it again

 

[Doug MacIVER]

look up vinegar weed killer. works great during the growing season. less polluting and one hell of a lot cheaper, used last summer and it works. good luck. nice looking property.

 

[SONOCATIVO]

look up vinegar weed killer. works great during the growing season. less polluting and one hell of a lot cheaper, used last summer and it works. good luck. nice looking property.

I tried the Vinegar, dish soap, salt mix and all it did was wilt the leaves, didnt kill anything. I heard pickle juice works great. Im going to ask all the fast food joints that are local to save the buckets and juice for me so Ill have enough to try this spring.

 

[Doug MacIVER]

I tried the Vinegar, dish soap, salt mix and all it did was wilt the leaves, didnt kill anything. I heard pickle juice works great. Im going to ask all the fast food joints that are local to save the buckets and juice for me so Ill have enough to try this spring.

pickle juice the same thing with garlic and dill, no soap, maybe try beetlejuice?