Anybody dealt with popple reforestation?

G

GSP

New member
We are working on returning an 80 acre parcel to a native prairie. The ground used to be farm land but hasn't been tilled in nearly a decade. Reforestation has taken over on one corner (about 5 acres) and we have rather dense popples, about an inch in diameter and 5-10 ft tall.

Short of pulling them out one-by-one with the tractor, is there a good way to rid ourselves of these? I'm afraid cutting them off at ground level with something like a tree sheer would leave us with too much of a root system to get a plow or disc through.

Thoughts?
 
Tbear said:
Could you cut them off and then do a controled burn?
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I actually thought about that. In fact, I don't think I'd even have to cut them off, they'd probably burn in the fire. But then I would still be left with the root system....
 
To remove everything, including the roots, a root-rake on a bulldozer is all that comes to mind. but you'll possibly lose a lot of top soil.

Perhaps find a neighboring farmer with a BIG tractor and a BIG disc to help get it ripped up sometime during the summer while they've got down time between crop duties?
 
Got a similar problem. Only thing I could think of was a dozer and then Roundup applications. Root systems are a bitch.

Might check some Industrial Vegetation Control sites. Those folks do this for a living.

Best of luck.
 
Thanks guys. I may just concede defeat to that corner of the field and keep it from encroaching any further.
 
We (at Tallgrass Res.) always used sharp tri-blades on powerful STIHL weed whackers to cut through the base of the tree. Had someone come behind with juiced up tinted herbicide to hit the small stumps. That usually did the job.;)

Good luck with how every you go about it. God knows we're loosing too much grassy ground to trees!
 
Grazon. Better living through chemicals
 
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GSP said:
We are working on returning an 80 acre parcel to a native prairie. The ground used to be farm land but hasn't been tilled in nearly a decade. Reforestation has taken over on one corner (about 5 acres) and we have rather dense popples, about an inch in diameter and 5-10 ft tall.

Short of pulling them out one-by-one with the tractor, is there a good way to rid ourselves of these? I'm afraid cutting them off at ground level with something like a tree sheer would leave us with too much of a root system to get a plow or disc through.

Thoughts?
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I live in popple slashing country. They take over like a weed. My 743 Bobcat will take those 1" popples roots and all with no problem. If you have access to a skid steer or ASV you can clear them out with a little time and fuel. I have taken out 6-8" tree's stump, roots and all with mine. I raise the bucket up 6-8ft and use the tree as a lever and push on it. They in most cases tip right over. Some are tougher then others. I have used my brush hog or commercial hand held brush cutter to remove them as well.
 
GSP said:
We are working on returning an 80 acre parcel to a native prairie. The ground used to be farm land but hasn't been tilled in nearly a decade. Reforestation has taken over on one corner (about 5 acres) and we have rather dense popples, about an inch in diameter and 5-10 ft tall.

Short of pulling them out one-by-one with the tractor, is there a good way to rid ourselves of these? I'm afraid cutting them off at ground level with something like a tree sheer would leave us with too much of a root system to get a plow or disc through.

Thoughts?
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maybe manage for woodcock? sounds like their kind of stuff, if it stays a little moist.
 
Roundup, then brush cutter on a tractor. Then the next year dig with a heavy digger a few times. Round up any regrowth. After digging rake the roots and or pick them up best you can. Then disc. Digging in the following spring, allows rot, and soft soil they pop easy.
 
Cut them and when they sprout hit them with Garlon4. It will kill them dead.

You can buy generic Garlon4 its allot less expensive.
 
Freeborn said:
Cut them and when they sprout hit them with Garlon4. It will kill them dead.

You can buy generic Garlon4 its allot less expensive.
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That's the stuff we used except in G3. I believe the G4 is an oil based form of G3. G4 is deadly stuff. We could put a ring of G4 around an old fully grown tree and it would kill the tree in no time.

Just be very careful when using it. One of our guys unknowingly had some G4 on his fingers when he light up a cigarette. Put him in the hospital for a few weeks. Still messed up to this day.:(
 
1pheas4 said:
That's the stuff we used except in G3. I believe the G4 is an oil based form of G3. G4 is deadly stuff. We could put a ring of G4 around an old fully grown tree and it would kill the tree in no time.

Just be very careful when using it. One of our guys unknowingly had some G4 on his fingers when he light up a cigarette. Put him in the hospital for a few weeks. Still messed up to this day.:(
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Just what I would want sunk in the ground on my property. Not for me, I would try something less toxic if it were mine. Like good old elbow grease and hard work.
 
Hey guys, Listen to Onpoint. Bobcat or any skid steer. You can get a couple acres roots and all in a couple hours. Done a lot of brush and tree clearing with my 742B. Then go through with a disk and plant whatever you want. Might get a few popple sprouts but they will come from loose roots and easy to hit with a little round up.
 
An issue is making sure your tractor/bobcat doesn't have inflatable tires, those narrow little stumps will penetrate and make a relatively simple job a huge pain and expensive.


I'm working on a tracked (very old) dozer.

best of luck.
 
Kismet said:
An issue is making sure your tractor/bobcat doesn't have inflatable tires, those narrow little stumps will penetrate and make a relatively simple job a huge pain and expensive.


I'm working on a tracked (very old) dozer.

best of luck.
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You won't have any stumps, take the whole tree. If you want to do it with the ground froze solid you wont get the roots but it's easy to shear small trees at ground level. Best to wait until the ground is all thawed and soft. Tilt the bucket into the ground a couple inches, push against the trunk, tilt the bucket back and POP out comes the roots.:)
 
Thanks all. Some good suggestions that I hadn't thought of.

The woodcock comment was a good one. Unfortunately I'm in mid-MI. We only get flight birds coming through. The true MI WC habitat is N of me.

I would prefer to stay away from chemicals as much as possible.

I was envisioning having to put a strap on each individual tree and pull it out with the front end loader. But if they really come out that easy just by getting a "bite" on it with the front of the loader and popping it up, this might not be as bad as I thought.

I really thingk I have to get at least most of the root out with the tree if I hope to get a disk through there afterward. That's my hesitation about cutting it off at ground level.

These trees are pretty dense too. It's not like one here or there. The 5 acre corner is packed with them.
 
Woodcock being migratory determines that everyone has flight birds....flight birds, of course, need habitat along their path south.

Much like those who are heavily into deer and so blindly happy in designing habitat, rack potential and feeding nest predators to that single goal...it might be advisable to consider the benefits of diversity past one goal....might also represent less work and expense for you as well.

If 5 acres is all, and it may not be, that you are concerned with then consider leave it alone or leaving some of it...diversity of habitat is key beyond anyone's preference.
Control the edge or isolated specimens if you must.
Chemicals would likely do the job, with tradeoff the issue.
I believe that aspen can respond to mecanical control but unsure of the process...might contact the RGS, oddly enough, or the Michigan agriculture department.
I expect they have experience with killing the little trees.....or a forest products outfit as they kill off aspen in future pine plantations or ....on and on.
 
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