Jump to content

Log in or register to remove this advert

Treating sapling stumps


Guest Gimlet
 Share

Recommended Posts

Log in or register to remove this advert

Guest Gimlet

Wildlife won't eat them. There's too many and the site is a steep valley surrounded on three sides by woodland. They've got more than enough to eat already. 

Plus I shoot the rabbits and control the deer at the owner's request. The site has a lot of yellow meadow anthills all over it and the rabbits can't resist digging these. There's little topsoil to begin with - lumps of chalk show through the surface. The anthills help to stabilise what soil there is and rabbits ripping them apart doesn't help, so they get the bullet.

 

The owners have three wild Exmoor ponies running on the site. They bought them because they're the only grazers NE will tolerate on the site all year round. Their numbers mean they can't make much impression but it's better than nothing. I have seen them picking the leaves off the hawthorn samplings. I've also noted they like to gnaw the bark off the firewood I had piled up in the valley floor where I've been thinning some hazel coppice (NE won't let me cut it fully. Dormice....) though they don't bark the standing trees or eat the hazel saplings. But even if there was a whole herd of these ponies the hawthorn saplings would regrow. And then their hooves would compact the soil, the carpet of low-growing wild flower species would struggle to get a hold and nettles and docks would take over. 

And so it goes on.... 

Edited by Gimlet
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If shallow soil and small trees would it be possible just to brute force and pull them out with a set off welding gloves??

Althou sometimes decieving how firm a grip even small trees can have in good soil, be easier in thin soil

 

Otherwise u could spot treat with a paint brush or even 1 off those dish washing brushes u can fill the handles up with soap ( weedkiller, be just like a mini weed wipe) and dab it on each stem as u cut

I'd just use Glyco as the spot treatment

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Gimlet

Some would pull out by hand but most won't. A manual uprooting tool would do it but I think there''ll be repercussions if I leave the site pock-marked. I also have to dispose of them. As the valley is very steep I'll have to throw them/drag them by hand to the bottom of the slope and shred them there and blow the bits into the hazel coppice area where it can just rot down. It'll be easier to get them to the bottom if they haven'y got the roots attached.

 I think I'll just cut them with heavy loppers and use a weed wipe. I'll relent and use Glypho as well. It's not going to affect anything else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There used to be very old fashioned tools for pulling out docks, thistles and ragwort, sort off 2 pronged pinch bar thing.

 

The pock marking might not be as bad as u think, will create different micro niche's for different plants in the bare soil. Will soon have new plants growing out of the soils seed banks.

 

How will the weed wiper work??

Are u weed wiping before u cut?? Otherwise the stumps will be to low and u'll end up costing all the vegetation with chemical.

 

I'd mibee tie a wee container to belt and just cut and dab each individual stem as u cut them. I reckon a dish wash pad with the hollow handle ( in theory) would be the ideal tool, should we drip the way a paint brush does

Secatuers might work better as 1 handed if trees small enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  •  

  • Featured Adverts

About

Arbtalk.co.uk is a hub for the arboriculture industry in the UK.  
If you're just starting out and you need business, equipment, tech or training support you're in the right place.  If you've done it, made it, got a van load of oily t-shirts and have decided to give something back by sharing your knowledge or wisdom,  then you're welcome too.
If you would like to contribute to making this industry more effective and safe then welcome.
Just like a living tree, it'll always be a work in progress.
Please have a look around, sign up, share and contribute the best you have.

See you inside.

The Arbtalk Team

Follow us

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.