flamesnm Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I have a couple of acres of high brambles to clear. It's not a one man job, and I've decided to hire some hardware to protect my manicure. After some research, I've settled on hiring a bobcat with a forestry flail ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2ycNYhOjko ) as the best tool for the job, followed up by some dousing with heavy duty weedkiller. The problem is no-one has the appropriate attachement. Kilotou looked like the best bet in that they have the bobcats, but not the flail. (http://www.kiloutou.fr/travail-des-terrains/deblayer-remblayer/chargeuse-compacte-diesel-29-t-300-litres-chenilles-caoutchouc )I'm going to ask around locally when I'm next over after Easter, but I wondered if anyone had suggestions for some some alternative man tools that might do the job ?The bramble patch is near Salies de Bearn.Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I know the answer...you may not believe me but I used to have to arrange the clearance of brambles from steep banks on Victorian hill forts near Portsmouth...too steep for humans....enter the goats. Goats will decimate brambles..they love them. Just tether or fence them in and they will do a cracking job...no burning or carting away either. They will however eat everything so if theres a plant in there you want to save you would need to transplant it or wrap it in currugated iron or something...Local goat farmer will likely oblige if you give him a bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 So many and frequent are my battles with les ronces, that I felt qualified to anwer this one - until I read about how good the goats would be!My experience has been with much smaller areas. These days, I use secateurs to cut them first halfway up, and then tug out the long trailing bits; following up with snipping the stalks to ground level. And then piling everything on the bonfire - which LOVES brambles. Afterwards, when I see any luscious new leaves emerging, I hit them with RoundUp or similar.When we had a larger area to clear, but still nothing like as large as yours, we used a brushcutter with the fearsome toothed metal blade to cut as near the ground as possible and then rolled the pieces back to be collected and burnt.With an area like yours, however, would it be possible to set fire to it? Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I've had long battles with ronces too, like Angela, and found that regular cutting back to ground level does weaken them.But as she says, perhaps such a large area needs to be burnt initially.At our last house we had large areas of them, which husband cut down several times with a broyeur on the back of a tractor. They disappeared eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 The rhizomes are the problem not the stuff above ground level. Fortunately they are shallow below the surface and with effort and patience can be removed. On a large area anything short of persistent tilling will just control them not eradicate them.Although I enjoyed the video clip I would be more inclined to spend my cash on hiring a local retired paysan with an old fergie with some decent tines on the back. The ones with a flashing light, not on , and no roll bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamesnm Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Thanks for the replies everyone. My wife will love the goat plan. I'll ask around when I'm over next, but they'd need to be hungry goats. I'm in no rush so that could be the best way forward. If the same farmer has some kit that he wouldn't mind putting to use to attack the majority of les ronces, then I've got a twin pronged attack.I'd considered fire, but we're enclosed by forest on 3 sides and I couldn't guarentee the fire wouldn't spread. It wouldn't endear us to the locals.There would appear to be nothing under the brambles that needs saving, although I'm not ruling out finding the odd crashed fighter from WWII.I really, really wanted a go with that forestry flail [:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 There is a rule with goats....They are all hungry.Incidentally if anyone wonered how Fort Southwick's moat remained so bramble free...now you know. I don't know if the MOD still do this as I think they may have sold the site http://devonfinefibres.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/goats-for-scrub-clearance/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamesnm Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 This looks almost as much fun as the bobcat option: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCU7kj6gJjU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Roy Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Donkeys also love brambles, mine can't get enough of them. [:)] If you can't find a goat owner locally you might find a donkey owner who will help you out - with the added bonus of manure for the future![;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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