What should I do?

[superdave336]

As many of you know I'm clearing an overgrown family field that I want to turn into an orchard. One area I've been working on clearing I'm hoping to plant figs in but currently it has a ton of briars and poison ivy. I've weed eaten most of it down and just have trees to cut and mulch. Was hoping to have clear by spring but I know the briars and poison ivy will return. Should I spray a weed killer now or wait until spring? Or should I give the whole area a season to be nuked before planting anything? I hate using chemicals but I can't mow it constantly to keep it down with everything I have to maintain and do. Opinions welcomed as what I should do.

 

[bushdoctor82]

I’ve used triclopyr to get rid of wisteria and other brush that was spreading widely last fall. I cut the vines in question and painted the cut end with the herbicide to limit contamination. Worked very well, but the plant has to be actively growing to work effectively.

 

[Jigfig]

Be sure to check how long whatever herbicide you use is active. Some tend to last awhile and really don’t want to read about your trees dying. Common sense I know but just a friendly reminder.

 

[FruitBrute]

How big of an area are we talking? Could a hand held propane flame weeding device of some sort be used, to burn everything to the ground, during a time when it's more rainy and fire risk is low. Or maybe just a controlled burn of some kind. Not sure if it would kill plants completely or just stunt them.

 

[superdave336]

How big of an area are we talking? Could a hand held propane flame weeding device of some sort be used, to burn everything to the ground, during a time when it's more rainy and fire risk is low. Or maybe just a controlled burn of some kind. Not sure if it would kill plants completely or just stunt them.

I have a torch but no way would I use it out in the field. My family still tells the tale of when a storm blew the power lines together and caused a spark that dropped in the hayfield and we nearly lost the whole farmhouse, barn, etc.

That one particular area is maybe 1/2 acre. The whole part I'm working to clear maybe 5-10 acres?

 

[superdave336]

I’ve used triclopyr to get rid of wisteria and other brush that was spreading widely last fall. I cut the vines in question and painted the cut end with the herbicide to limit contamination. Worked very well, but the plant has to be actively growing to work effectively.

I've been using Bonide Poison Ivy & Brush Killer. I sprayed some areas last year and it kinda worked. I was wondering if something stronger or full strength would work better. Might have to do multiple treatments. Think Triclopyr would work in one treatment? As much as I have to do it gets rather expensive quickly. I need to check into how long it remains active.

 

[Wisner]

I'd contact your local County Agent office for advise. You may want to look into getting a Private Applicator License to be able to buy restricted pesticides which will do a better job. Here is some good info on controlling blackberries. https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/fa...berry-and-dewberry-in-pastures-and-hayfields/

 

[LadyGT]

Every now and then I get poison ivy in the backyard. I don't like using chemicals either so I dig it up whenever I come across it. The plants I find are fairly small so easy to dig up. I am highly allergic so I wear disposable gloves or use something else to touch it before it goes into a garbage can.

Since you have cleared the area already, maybe you can dig up the poison ivy whenever you see it come back to life. Just use adequate protection. Once the poison ivy is gone, perhaps you can rototill and rake the new area to get rid of the rest instead of spraying.

 

[GoodFriendMike]

Do you have a tractor? If so maybe discing it before winter would help. Then come spring plant your trees and put a weed barrier down in a circle around each one. That way you can mow but not have to weedeat.

 

[grasshopper]

Don't use fire when you have poison ivy unless you also have filtered breathing mask.

I wonder if hot water is enough to kill the weeds. It only works for a small area though. Specialized herbicide is probably the only safe and effective way to go. And then weed barrier afterwards to prevent them from coming back from nearby area.

 

[superdave336]

The area is heavily rocky from where the hayfields were cleared. Way too much to try digging them up. No equipment other than a weed eater, chainsaw, chipper and walk behind tiller. I thought about landscape fabric but that will get costly quickly with everything I’m hoping to do and I’m already financially challenged…..lol. I’m thinking spraying is going to be my best option. I will contact the local agriculture department and see if they have any advice or recommendations. Thanks everyone.

 

[rNexus]

Clearing and then managing 5-10 acres without a tractor is going to be very time consuming and difficult. I've spent a few years now clearing land. Its steep and lots of trees but no way I could do it without a tractor, backhoe, grapple, track loader and soon to be mower.

Herbicides may kill weeds, but you wont get all the seeds. By June it will all be back

 

[superdave336]

Yup, what I cleared last year was back by summer but much easier to wack down now at knee high rather than over my head high. I have paths cleared I can keep sorta manageable but maintaining much more will require more equipment. I’m a mean madman with my weed eater. Trees up to 2” and everything less are chopped down with it. The Oregon brush head is a beast! Highly recommend.

 

[SlowRiver]

Have any friends with goats?

 

[Motherwise]

As many of you know I'm clearing an overgrown family field that I want to turn into an orchard. One area I've been working on clearing I'm hoping to plant figs in but currently it has a ton of briars and poison ivy. I've weed eaten most of it down and just have trees to cut and mulch. Was hoping to have clear by spring but I know the briars and poison ivy will return. Should I spray a weed killer now or wait until spring? Or should I give the whole area a season to be nuked before planting anything? I hate using chemicals but I can't mow it constantly to keep it down with everything I have to maintain and do. Opinions welcomed as what I should do.

If there are goats to rent in your area they can help clear it out. My grandfather did this and it was amazing…

 

[figuringIt]

for the sake of yourself and everybody else in the world avoid using herbicides. they are not as safe as they are sold as, even after years. it is a controversial topic but there is more to it than the manufacturers are telling us.
the goats idea is a great one. if you don't know anybody with goats you can hire them. covering with fabric/tarps is a good way, but as you said it could be too expensive. maybe you could do a little patch at a time? it would take a while but it's better than eating herbicides. do you have children you can put to work? they need to earn their inheritance

 

[bushdoctor82]

I've been using Bonide Poison Ivy & Brush Killer. I sprayed some areas last year and it kinda worked. I was wondering if something stronger or full strength would work better. Might have to do multiple treatments. Think Triclopyr would work in one treatment? As much as I have to do it gets rather expensive quickly. I need to check into how long it remains active.
View attachment 14947
View attachment 14948

It worked almost 100% for wisteria - a few times during this Summer I had to pull small shoots that popped back up in the grass, but it wasn’t a big deal. The effectiveness may go down if sprayed and chances of drift will increase opposed to cut and brush. I’m not familiar with the ingredients on the posted label though.

 

[ktrain]

We did a really large patch with the salt, vinegar, and dish soap....it worked fairly well.
After it died down I covered the area with cardboard for the following season.
It is 98% controlled there.

 

[bushdoctor82]

After reading that you have trees to clear and a chipper, maybe just smothering the ivy and briars with thick layers of wood chips may be sufficient. Two birds with one stone type of deal - get rid of your problem and create good soil in your rocky terrain.

 

[superdave336]

After reading that you have trees to clear and a chipper, maybe just smothering the ivy and briars with thick layers of wood chips may be sufficient. Two birds with one stone type of deal - get rid of your problem and create good soil in your rocky terrain.

I’ve done this in one area and they came back some. I plan on doing this anyway since the mulch has to go somewhere and will help.