Seeking advice on best tool to deal with bramble infestation

[jonrec]

Hi all,

 

I have a plot of land that is partially overgrown with brambles. Being totally new to landscaping I am not entirely sure what the best tool for clearing and maintaining this is. Do you have any advice you could share?

 

I did some work with a hedge trimmer which cuts through the brambles okay but is not great for anything lower to the ground of course, so was thinking about getting a brush cutter.

 

A few more details:

- I would prefer battery powered, gasoline would be 2nd choice and cable is not an option.

- Land is about 0.5ha big (not all overgrown of course but there are several areas on the land with large bramble bushes).

- Land is not very even, quite a few ditches and (shallow) slopes.

- Terrain is on the rockier side.

- Some of the brambles are quite mature ie. have thicker stems.

 

In terms of budget - looking for best bang for a buck here. The tool should be of good quality and not break after a year of use but I'm also not sitting on a pot of gold (sadly!) so will have to be budget conscious. 

 

Thanks for your help!!!

[Vedhoggar]

Have a look at the Stihl FS450 Brushcutter (46.6 cc machine) £853 + VAT fitted with Stihl Brush  Knife which is a try-blade knife designed for cutting vegetation like scrub and thick grass £27 + VAT. Might be more than you were thinking of paying but will last years, the machine can also be fitted with strimmer head if required.  I have no experience of electric brush cutters. Talk to your local Stihl dealer as something less powerful/cheaper may meet your requirements but I use a similar Stihl machine and it clears scrub/brambles no problem. If you can get away with a less powerful stihl machine then it will be lighter and I also expect electric models will be lighter, electric is probably the way forward if machine powerful enough and you can afford it.

[HillyJohn]

I have similar land and have cleared an acre or so of mature brambles. The best tool that I've found is a brushcutter with an Oregon 12 inch universal mulching blade; this needs more than a 1KW strimmer, I use an Echo SRM-3611U. Battery would be much more expensive, the Stihl FSA 200 costs more for the body alone, and needs £350 batteries, which last half an hour. I've the earlier FSA 135 which is not really up to large scale bramble clearing, it just about manages a 10 inch mulching blade.

[Steven P]

I find my 'DIY warehouse' own brand lawn mower will get through a lot on level ground - including brambles. Generally I'll hedge trim the brambles in the wood down to 2" off the ground - enough to not catch the blade - though a lot of bending - and then mow the rest. Wear big wellies, steel toes, and discard the grass collector.

 

Own brand mower so I am not sad if break it a bit. An option if you have a mower available. Other options above are probably better

[woody paul]

3 hours ago, HillyJohn said:

I have similar land and have cleared an acre or so of mature brambles. The best tool that I've found is a brushcutter with an Oregon 12 inch universal mulching blade; this needs more than a 1KW strimmer, I use an Echo SRM-3611U. Battery would be much more expensive, the Stihl FSA 200 costs more for the body alone, and needs £350 batteries, which last half an hour. I've the earlier FSA 135 which is not really up to large scale bramble clearing, it just about manages a 10 inch mulching blade.

It's not all about power, it's the construction of the machine you are putting mulching blade on if bearings are not up to it you will soon find out

[miker]

45cc or bigger Stihl/Husqvarna brushcutter with a mulch blade

[Steve Bullman]

How big of a plot are we taking here?

[Bolt]

7 minutes ago, Steve Bullman said:

How big of a plot are we taking here?

- Land is about 0.5ha big (not all overgrown of course but there are several areas on the land with large bramble bushes).

[Bolt]

10 hours ago, jonrec said:

 

I did some work with a hedge trimmer which cuts through the brambles okay but is not great for anything lower to the ground of course, so was thinking about getting a brush cutter.

 

Why ‘of course’?

 

If you bend your knees and/or back you will find a hedge trimmer can cut all the way down to the ground.

 

Spend some of the money you save on some decent loppers for the thicker stems,

 

and a massage.

[dan blocker]

Flail, rake it up, burn. Spray new growth.