Bramble cutting - torn

[spandit]

Excuse the pun but not only am I physically torn (next time I'll wear my heavy canvas smock to stop me looking like I've been self harming unless there are other suggestions - I was wearing welding gauntlets but they're not as long as one might like) but also mentally.

 

The "before" looked like this (nice to see the path I cut last year isn't overgrown):

 

 

and after a couple of hours of bashing with the brush mower, like this:

 

 

Now, I don't want my new woodland to be impassable so the brambles have to be controlled but now I've exposed a lot of naturally seeded young trees to predation so should I have left the brambles in situ as a nurse crop?

 

The mower is a DRPower brush and field mower. Not the best for brambles (as someone pointed out when I bought it) but for cutting long grass it's superlative. Might try again with the trimmer head but they still tend to get wrapped around the axles, this is what came off one axle afterwards:

 

Edited February 4, 2017 by spandit

[tony_t3d]

 

I wear one of these for brambles. They are called Ubac and there British Army issue the arms are padded. (the torso isnt) there designed to fit under body armour.

 

I know some people turn there nose up to the use of army surplus but I think it's perfect for brambles.

[john k]

What have you got against the brambles? They're not doing your trees any harm, and they'll get shaded out once the canopy develops.

 

I'd leave them, and just cut paths where you need access.

[spandit]

They're spreading over bits I haven't planted and tend to arch over the paths I do cut. I'm not spraying them so they'll be back, I've no doubt. For the smaller shrubs they do tend to shade in the summer and they must use nutrients that would otherwise be available to the trees

[Ilnumero]

I hate brambles.

 

So invasive and they seem grow some enormous stems before your very eyes.

 

I like to keep them under control either by digging them up (if practical) or by mowing. They don't seem to like regular mowing and mine die back if kept down.

 

I had 2/3 acre of brambles 8' high. Took them down with a brushcutter, horrible job, then mowed the weeds that came up. It took two years but there's now a lovely lawn and the brambles have disappeared. I come across knobbly bits of dead root from time to time where the plant has died.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

I recently drove 17t of bandtracked harvester over about 12 acres of 6' high brambles. It was flattened beautifully.

[gdh]

Shame I'm not closer, we use a remote control brushcutter for our brambles. After they passed 12ft high I had enough by hand.

[tony_t3d]

Shame I'm not closer, we use a remote control brushcutter for our brambles. After they passed 12ft high I had enough by hand.

That is a full on MAN TOY !!

[Haironyourchest]

Get a mulcher blade for your brush cutter and never look back!

[Treeation]

Get a mulcher blade for your brush cutter and never look back!

 

I second that:thumbup1: