Rhododendron control business

[departed]

I used to do rhodie work in snowdonia. Simply cut and stack or burn then follow up with glyphosate every other year. 5 year contracts.
Bloody knackering work, in crazy locations that machines can’t get to, general winter weather and the insects and heat in summer can make for a very uncomfortable way to make a living.
But there’s money to be made and you get to see great places that many others don’t. A big plus for me was generally don’t have to deal with the public!
Finding good lads can be a challenge but that seems to be the case for everyone in forestry and arb.
I’ll be interested to see how you get on. Best of luck.

[Khriss]

Hand cutting ? Sod that for a game of soldiers - mechanised flail.  K

[departed]

Ha! Sounds perfect, and use a chopper to spray the regrowth right?

[roys]

Duplicate 

Edited July 23, 2020 by roys

[roys]

Every year except for this the Covid year I get the lads together for a rhody bash weekend, I have a big rhody problem (SW Scotland) and I can’t get machinery in, so I am on the Chainsaw, two or three others are clearing behind me and one stacking.

Tis a hard 3 or 4 days and wouldn’t want to do it every week. Same weekend I GP the fresh cuts and previous years regrowth.

I then let the cuttings dry to about August then spend a day burning them.

i have posted pics on here before I will see if I can find them.

[roys]

10 foot tall rhody

[Khriss]

Did some rides thru rhodi blocked woodland, 600m rides 2 m wide with a Valtra n Berti flail in less than an hour each, two passes. Guy with polesaw after first pass on overhang trees - looked landscaped after we finished,  K

[Lorn Logs]

Great replies everyone, many thanks, a lot to pull together into a little business. I’ll update as soon as I get going. Would be happy to work all over, wherever the work is.

[spuddog0507]

Well got to agree with Departed on a few things here, We have cut a fair amount of rodeys for the likes of Tillhil etc in the Northwest, Lancs, Lakes and north Yorks, hand cutting it aint easy work by a long way, 12-15ft rodeys all tangled and intertwinde with each other and you will get a fair bit of work on 60,70,80 degree bankings and rocky crags as rodeys will grow any where, Ok on resonable level ground it would be easy with a 3 tonne digger and flail, but it wont all be like that as you will just get given a area to clear that will incorporate rodeys on all different land types, the last one we did was on flat ground and i just ripped them out with a digger with a rock grab on it, pushed brash in to heaps and burnt, only thing i can say is, its a young mans sport on them bankings,

[jmac]

You live in the right area for rhoddies that's for sure. But you really need a squad of men to make money at rhoddies, especially if your going to sub contract to the likes of scottish Woodlands who will want to give you the shitest rate they can so they can make a pile of cash for themselves. Go into any dealings with the likes of them with your eyes wide open ?