I have been neglecting my fence lines for twelve years now. Every time I brush hog, I have a wider swath around the blackberry thorns everywhere. Between those and those nasty thorn trees I have, I am getting tractor flat tires from thorn punctures. One year after your video, I am out doing the same thing; there must be an easier way; it takes forever for the thorns to decay even after they are dead. The best and fastest solution is to use a cutter blade on my weed whip. Nope, unless you want to get entangled and cut up with the thorns. Like you, I did it manually with some long-hand pruners and a trash pick upper to pull them out of the way. Those thorns even go through heavy leather gloves and scratch your arms, not to mention they will bend and get your face too. It was a cool June morning, and one more step, I would have stepped on a 6’ black snake soaking up the sun. Lesson #2 I learned, do not wear shorts 😊
It is slow hot work. Once you get them under control however if you stay on the regular trimming you can keep things under control easily. Whenever I want to skip trimming I just remember the alternative! LOL
Not to mention eye protection. I had a couple instances of a whippy thorny branch unexpectedly skimming across my safety glasses; even though I was being mindful of it. Each time I said, good thing I had glasses on:)
What way did you choose to dispose of the piles of thorn bushes you cut down? Been helping to cut down a lot of very bushy overgrown thorn bushes along fencing in a pasture the previous people didn't maintain and now trying to decide the best way remove the cut piles out of the pasture and off the property. Those thorny vines are vicious with rope like strength. Seems a chipper would be dangerous with the risk of inadvertent entanglement. These things are no joke, that's certainly a serious concern. Chemicals and fire are not options:) Goats did come to mind:) I don't know if they could eat that stuff? Almost thinking pull the piles onto large plastic tarps, prune into smaller pieces to reduce the bulk. Fold it up to contain it a load on trailer and take it to the dump? Which seems very tedious and really no time for what's already become a long, complicated project.
7:34 Cut Out is a term for going back and getting the new sprouts and pulling them out bringing the roots to? Do you like Monarch Butterflies they feed on Milkweed?
It has been almost a year since we got all the big stuff torn out. Some plants died off and didn't return. In other areas they've tried to regrow. It is pretty easy to knock them back down and keep them from taking back over. I hit them with a string trimmer. I haven't pulled any up by the roots yet (or sprayed any with chemicals). The initial plan has worked out pretty well IMHO. The wife and I are in a debate now as to whether we let the field go all year and mow in late fall (my vote) or mow it a couple of times a year (her vote). I'd like to let things like milkweed go and draw in nature (like butterflys). But she wants to keep things mowed off. I like the way that looks too but I also want to draw in nature. Since we are not doing anything else with the property right now it seems like a good idea. We'll see!
This was helpful to watch someone else take on this project as we are getting ready to try and reduce but not completely eliminate the blackberries on our land. If you let some milkweed grow it not only is good for butterflies but great for birds who feed on the caterpillars. We are trying to balance out using some of our land for our own purposes and letting some natural areas just be natural -- we even want to leave some of the blackberry as it provides a great environment for songbirds and wild rabbits (protects them from predators).
My friend had a huge jungle on his backyard reaching 20' high. He totally has given up except 10X10 in front of the doorway.... And one winter day after a huge snowstorm, everything collapsed and died...
😮 why not move and unroll the hay bales on the weed side or both bushhog them and the black berries and weeds unwanted trees. If your going to get rid of hay rolls?
Sounds way too easy! LOL I actually do want to roll them back out and let them rot back into the pasture. I might borrow my neighbors bigger tractor and do that. Still noodling on it.
I was wondering how many Copperheads were in those hay rolls. Then the big black snake explained. They keep them away. But be careful out there. Don’t want one of the LifeFlights zipping over our house bringing one of ya’ll into Trauma 1 for snake bite.
It will kill them, but you'll still have to cut them out. Plus spraying chemicals = BAD! I'll stick with sweat to get rid of mine. Once you get it out the first time it is easy to keep under control.
The darned things grow so fast it turn into trees seriously within like 3 months. I have called them way down tried putting flower pots on top and they still continue to Branch out I think the only way to do it naturally has to dig them all out I'm in big trouble pallet me tell you I have got a lot of work ahead of me😮
I read somewhere that goat skin gloves worked well for dealing with thorns. I use a pair of those and have not had any issues. Of course, getting an actual goat works better since you could just let them eat the thorn bushes down to the ground and never have to touch them at all. HA!
So you didn't buy a bramble farm? Raspberry? BlackBerry? When I seen the brambles in the hay bails, I thought it was a border hedge and was a great idea. You could have used fire in the hay bails. That would have removed the bramble.
I didn't really think of that, honestly. I'm learning more and more and trying to figure out what I want to do with certain areas of the property. The idea of keeping the brambles didn't even cross my mind. I wanted to keep some but not as many as I had. I didn't really consider their importance as a food source for wildlife (and for me too). I've started thinking about that more and more recently, however. Luckily there are more where those came from! HA! Thanks for the comment.
I was watching to see if I was cutting the correctly for the best growth. I've been cutting a couple mountainsides, a river bank and a back yard, by hand with laupers, of brambles for 3 months. And I've started my first forest fire last week. The brambles are my dads, they haven't been cut back for about 4 years. He's too old to take care of them. I started out pulling and removing them, but he makes the best blackberry cobbler. he washes and freezes them. I felt bad after trying to kill them. Lol. I'm going to sell what I don't freeze.
I believe they are Fiskar loppers. We bought them at Home Depot. They are basically a lopper on a long pole and you can use a handle or a rope to activate the lopper head. They work well for cutting things down that you don't want to touch (like thorns). They worked perfectly for this job.
Yes, most die off on the first cutting. Some grew back (and continue to try to grow back). But they small and easy to deal with. So once you get the worst of it removed it is very easy to maintain (even manually without chemicals).
I have been neglecting my fence lines for twelve years now. Every time I brush hog, I have a wider swath around the blackberry thorns everywhere. Between those and those nasty thorn trees I have, I am getting tractor flat tires from thorn punctures. One year after your video, I am out doing the same thing; there must be an easier way; it takes forever for the thorns to decay even after they are dead. The best and fastest solution is to use a cutter blade on my weed whip. Nope, unless you want to get entangled and cut up with the thorns. Like you, I did it manually with some long-hand pruners and a trash pick upper to pull them out of the way. Those thorns even go through heavy leather gloves and scratch your arms, not to mention they will bend and get your face too. It was a cool June morning, and one more step, I would have stepped on a 6’ black snake soaking up the sun. Lesson #2 I learned, do not wear shorts 😊
It is slow hot work. Once you get them under control however if you stay on the regular trimming you can keep things under control easily. Whenever I want to skip trimming I just remember the alternative! LOL
Not to mention eye protection. I had a couple instances of a whippy thorny branch unexpectedly skimming across my safety glasses; even though I was being mindful of it. Each time I said, good thing I had glasses on:)
What way did you choose to dispose of the piles of thorn bushes you cut down? Been helping to cut down a lot of very bushy overgrown thorn bushes along fencing in a pasture the previous people didn't maintain and now trying to decide the best way remove the cut piles out of the pasture and off the property. Those thorny vines are vicious with rope like strength. Seems a chipper would be dangerous with the risk of inadvertent entanglement. These things are no joke, that's certainly a serious concern. Chemicals and fire are not options:) Goats did come to mind:) I don't know if they could eat that stuff? Almost thinking pull the piles onto large plastic tarps, prune into smaller pieces to reduce the bulk. Fold it up to contain it a load on trailer and take it to the dump? Which seems very tedious and really no time for what's already become a long, complicated project.
you're awesome dude
Nice of you to say.
7:34 Cut Out is a term for going back and getting the new sprouts and pulling them out bringing the roots to? Do you like Monarch Butterflies they feed on Milkweed?
It has been almost a year since we got all the big stuff torn out. Some plants died off and didn't return. In other areas they've tried to regrow. It is pretty easy to knock them back down and keep them from taking back over. I hit them with a string trimmer. I haven't pulled any up by the roots yet (or sprayed any with chemicals). The initial plan has worked out pretty well IMHO. The wife and I are in a debate now as to whether we let the field go all year and mow in late fall (my vote) or mow it a couple of times a year (her vote). I'd like to let things like milkweed go and draw in nature (like butterflys). But she wants to keep things mowed off. I like the way that looks too but I also want to draw in nature. Since we are not doing anything else with the property right now it seems like a good idea. We'll see!
This was helpful to watch someone else take on this project as we are getting ready to try and reduce but not completely eliminate the blackberries on our land. If you let some milkweed grow it not only is good for butterflies but great for birds who feed on the caterpillars. We are trying to balance out using some of our land for our own purposes and letting some natural areas just be natural -- we even want to leave some of the blackberry as it provides a great environment for songbirds and wild rabbits (protects them from predators).
My friend had a huge jungle on his backyard reaching 20' high. He totally has given up except 10X10 in front of the doorway.... And one winter day after a huge snowstorm, everything collapsed and died...
LOL...much easier than the way I did it!
😮 why not move and unroll the hay bales on the weed side or both bushhog them and the black berries and weeds unwanted trees. If your going to get rid of hay rolls?
Sounds way too easy! LOL I actually do want to roll them back out and let them rot back into the pasture. I might borrow my neighbors bigger tractor and do that. Still noodling on it.
I was wondering how many Copperheads were in those hay rolls. Then the big black snake explained. They keep them away. But be careful out there. Don’t want one of the LifeFlights zipping over our house bringing one of ya’ll into Trauma 1 for snake bite.
I don't want to see any poisonous snakes...nope...pass!
Wait you can use roundup on these? Holy shit that is a life saver ive been dealing with them by hand. Im honna try to douse them and see what happens
It will kill them, but you'll still have to cut them out. Plus spraying chemicals = BAD! I'll stick with sweat to get rid of mine. Once you get it out the first time it is easy to keep under control.
The darned things grow so fast it turn into trees seriously within like 3 months. I have called them way down tried putting flower pots on top and they still continue to Branch out I think the only way to do it naturally has to dig them all out I'm in big trouble pallet me tell you I have got a lot of work ahead of me😮
The grow fast and they grow back. But once you get them cleared out (if they are overgrown) they are much easier to keep under control.
One drop of roundup on the thorn bush stump and they are done@@DeanoRolls
I would sell the hay bails and make a lot of money they are worth over 100.00 each roll
Hay = Money these days!
What gloves do you prefer
I read somewhere that goat skin gloves worked well for dealing with thorns. I use a pair of those and have not had any issues. Of course, getting an actual goat works better since you could just let them eat the thorn bushes down to the ground and never have to touch them at all. HA!
So you didn't buy a bramble farm? Raspberry? BlackBerry? When I seen the brambles in the hay bails, I thought it was a border hedge and was a great idea.
You could have used fire in the hay bails. That would have removed the bramble.
You eat blackberry's. They are expensive. Since you just started farming and bramble and straw is what you had, you could have worked with it.
I didn't really think of that, honestly. I'm learning more and more and trying to figure out what I want to do with certain areas of the property. The idea of keeping the brambles didn't even cross my mind. I wanted to keep some but not as many as I had. I didn't really consider their importance as a food source for wildlife (and for me too). I've started thinking about that more and more recently, however. Luckily there are more where those came from! HA! Thanks for the comment.
I was watching to see if I was cutting the correctly for the best growth. I've been cutting a couple mountainsides, a river bank and a back yard, by hand with laupers, of brambles for 3 months. And I've started my first forest fire last week. The brambles are my dads, they haven't been cut back for about 4 years. He's too old to take care of them. I started out pulling and removing them, but he makes the best blackberry cobbler. he washes and freezes them. I felt bad after trying to kill them. Lol. I'm going to sell what I don't freeze.
What tool was she using to cut those thorn bushes
I believe they are Fiskar loppers. We bought them at Home Depot. They are basically a lopper on a long pole and you can use a handle or a rope to activate the lopper head. They work well for cutting things down that you don't want to touch (like thorns). They worked perfectly for this job.
Ah that is old hay you could have set it on fire and the thorns would be burnt up and the ash fertilizer would remain and recycle
t up
Lanky/Snappy work for free to get DeanoRock set up.
I like the “work for free” part of this comment.
I just use a sazall from homedepot
From where I come from we call that "Gettin' Er Done'! I like it! More than one way to skin a cat
Did the briar eradication hold? I have them along my woodline.
Yes, most die off on the first cutting. Some grew back (and continue to try to grow back). But they small and easy to deal with. So once you get the worst of it removed it is very easy to maintain (even manually without chemicals).