[Ruark]

About 12 acres of our property (central Texas, near Lampasas) is VERY VERY thickly covered with an unidentified weed. It sort of resembles broomweed, but it isn't. It has elongated clusters, about 3"-4" long, of seed at the end of each stalk. It's about thigh-deep, and is so thick in some places it's hard to walk through it.

Obviously, I have some shredding to do, but I won't be getting a tractor for another couple of weeks. The problem is, in several of these areas, there are lots of rocks on the ground that would interfere with a shredder - say softball to soccerball size.

What would be the best method and implement to use to clear these rocks before shredding? I'm afraid that if I use a scraper blade or a rake, it would rake up the weeds along with the rocks, and I'd end up with a huge mess every 20-30 feet. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ruark

 

[Steve (Magnolia TX)]

Good question.

Hopefully someone will come along with a better answer, but... here's about the best that I can come up with right now;

How about taking a box blade to the area? Scoop up the whole mess. Rocks, weeds, the whole shootin' match. Put it in as few piles (as big as you can make them) as you can... then burn the weeds off... and pick the rocks after the fire cools.

I'll admit... it ain't much of a plan... :hide:

 

[Ruark]

Thanks, Dave. Like they say, "it's the thought, if any, that counts!" :drunkie:


I think a box blade would be overkill for some areas where there are some rocks, but it's not covered with them. It'd just plow up a bunch of dirt and weeds, and I'd be stopping to dump it out every few feet. Also, there are some places where there are BIG rocks, just on the surface, not sticking up enough to catch the shredder, but would snag the box blade. Things like that.

I'm not sure about any of this, I'm just speculating.
-Ruark

 

[Vonrow]

ya, first thing that came to my mind was "burn it"

but if yer in a dry season or some other bad place to be making fires, probably not a good choice

 

[SonnyT]

About trying a Rock Rake or landscape rake?

 

[LLigetfa]

What you need is one of those minefield clearing machines that looks like a flail mower on steroids.

By shredder, do you mean a brush hog? If so, could you not just carry it high enough the clear the boulders and cut the weeds down to half their height? Do they die back at some point so you can burn it off?

 

[Upper5Percent]

Thanks, Dave. Like they say, "it's the thought, if any, that counts!" :drunkie:


I think a box blade would be overkill for some areas where there are some rocks, but it's not covered with them. It'd just plow up a bunch of dirt and weeds, and I'd be stopping to dump it out every few feet. Also, there are some places where there are BIG rocks, just on the surface, not sticking up enough to catch the shredder, but would snag the box blade. Things like that.

I'm not sure about any of this, I'm just speculating.
-Ruark

Rent one of these...
http://www.highline.jbeck.ca/en/node/27

 

[MF283]

I'd burn it off, then clear the rocks.

Ronnie

 

[scm]

:

I'd burn it off, then clear the rocks.

Ronnie

:ditto: Cut a firebreak around and throw a match to it :thThumbsU

 

[wally2q]

Check This Out

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/eng7882

 

[Ruark]

Check This Out

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/eng7882

Nice machine. Expensive, a decent used one runs about $3500. Won't work in this situation, though; the weeds are too thick. By the way, it's western ragweed out there, so thick you can barely walk through it, up to waist high. I think I'm going to have to shred it with shredder at a high setting - like 12" off the ground - then go back with a rock rake or something like that.

 

[massey1635]

Do you get a killing frost and do the weeds die back to the ground at any time? Mow what you can and keep after what you can't mow with round-up or it's gereric. When the weeds are dead and down, hand pick the rocks. No dought it will be alot of work. Other than a bulldozer there may be no easy way.

 

[Kb3kyx]

Check With a local fire Department.. sometimes they will burn a field for you to get wild land firefighting practice.. I'm a volunteer up here in PA and sometimes we will burn off a field for a farmer to help him and get practice for us... its a thought

 

[dvknutson]

Yep ... I would use a match !!! Then plow a narrow fireguard and light her up.

 

[cow-tail]

1 qt. Round-up and 1qt. 2 4 d mixin about 25 gallons of water per acre and spray, check with crop services first... good luck

 

[Upper5Percent]

About 12 acres of our property (central Texas, near Lampasas) is VERY VERY thickly covered with an unidentified weed. It sort of resembles broomweed, but it isn't. It has elongated clusters, about 3"-4" long, of seed at the end of each stalk. It's about thigh-deep, and is so thick in some places it's hard to walk through it.

Obviously, I have some shredding to do, but I won't be getting a tractor for another couple of weeks. The problem is, in several of these areas, there are lots of rocks on the ground that would interfere with a shredder - say softball to soccerball size.

What would be the best method and implement to use to clear these rocks before shredding? I'm afraid that if I use a scraper blade or a rake, it would rake up the weeds along with the rocks, and I'd end up with a huge mess every 20-30 feet. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ruark

Just became aware of this machine...

Rotating Rock Picker Gets Rid Of Dirt, Debris
http://www.farmshow.com/issues/34/04/340404.asp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMH_uq3Qf8Y

 

[larrybl]

Neighbor bush hoged mine, and yes... threw rocks everwhere. He didn't care. Now I need to clear the rock and catus. Oh, I am just west of Waco. Altho not quite labor free, it does make raking easier.

PS, I think we are still under a burn ban, (Lampassas and Coreyell) but hope that lifts soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9pO0QKRexA

 

[Tall Grass]

I would build me a big wide drag from a power pole etc. Drag it around over the area and beat down the weeds and generally get the area where you can see the rocks. Then use your box blade and push them into small areas. Any way you go at it will be work for sure.