Clearing brambles and planting trees

[Stereo]

We have a steep bank at the bottom of our wood. Half is an old pheasant pen which was mainly elm, all of which is dead standing although they are starting to fall over so we plan to clear it out totally. There is a thick understory of elder and bramble plus other young trees. The other half of the bank is just pure bramble about 4 foot high. Probably half an acre in all.

 

I want to clear it and re-plant with oak, ash, hazel and sweet chestnut with a view to running coppice with oak and ash standards I'm happy to put in the hours but am worried about the brambles coming back and overwhelming the young trees which will be much more difficult to manage than initial clearing. As its steep, mechanical access is limited. The farm is currently under organic conversion so weed killer options are also limited.

 

Anyone done this and have any advise? I've considered a small propelled rotavator to try and dig up the roots.

[Yorkshireman]

for the bramble under storey you could hit it with glyphosate in the spring , then let that die off & then get a back pack torch to burn it back ,, but given organic status thats perhaps problematic

 

a clearing strimmer & head may be your only option

 

In My opinion machinery on steep banks is a reciepe for an accident

Edited November 24, 2012 by Yorkshireman

[Joy Yeomans]

clear bramble with a strimmer and then fence and let pigs in for a bit, they will clear all the roots and leave a lovely tilth to plant in plus fertilize and get fattended up pigs at the end - organic as well

[Mortimer Firewood]

Skag with a humus head or Etesia atilla ride on brush cutter both will deal with brambles the skag will obliterate them and can be used on banks quite safely.

[Joy Yeomans]

my uncle swears by his aebi - hope its spelt right sounds like letter A and B - AB, he has a mulching head on and does motorway banks etc with ease

[Mortimer Firewood]

my uncle swears by his aebi - hope its spelt right sounds like letter A and B - AB, he has a mulching head on and does motorway banks etc with ease

 

 

I think its Abie you mean another very good banking mower with twin wheels will go anywhere

[john p]

prob best not to plant too many Ash though!

[Ray1]

Oregon 12" 300mm x 3mm Brushcutter Blade 2 Teeth 25.4mm | eBay

 

These brushcutter blades are fantastic for cutting brambles, you do need some good safety protection on though when using it.

[Stereo]

I need to get one of them cutters, heard a lot of good things about them. I don't think we can use round up. We did discuss pigs but its so steep that we are worried they will shove all the soil down the hill. One current option is goats which I am reading up on. Apparently love brambles.

[Stereo]

As for ash, my approach is to carry on regardless. If its going to hit us, it will do some thinning for me. I think the worst thing we can do is give up on ash.