Hi,

I have about 1/2 acre of thorn bushes that I've finally begun to clear out. There used to be some grass down there.

Currently here is the plan

1. use ryobi triblade to cut down stalks
2. rake/drag them onto a tarp and take to pickup
3. mow over it

4. ahhhhh. ? Here is where I'm not sure what to do.
Do I need to put down some deterrent to similar thorn
bush growth? Or just grass seed and fertilizer?
It doesn't have to be perfect I just want some basic
grass growing there again.

Thanks,

itchy

On Sun, 24 Feb 2013 10:12:51 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

Hi,

I have about 1/2 acre of thorn bushes that I've finally begun to clear out. There used to be some grass down there.

Currently here is the plan

1. use ryobi triblade to cut down stalks
2. rake/drag them onto a tarp and take to pickup
3. mow over it

4. ahhhhh. ? Here is where I'm not sure what to do.
Do I need to put down some deterrent to similar thorn
bush growth? Or just grass seed and fertilizer?
It doesn't have to be perfect I just want some basic
grass growing there again.

Unless you remove/destroy the roots those bushes will grow right back,
probably stronger than ever. Without knowing what kind of thorny
bushes you have all anyone can offer is wild speculation about how to
best deal with their elimination... and some thorny bushes, like
barberry, are valuable.

On 2/24/13 10:12 AM, wrote:
Hi,

I have about 1/2 acre of thorn bushes that I've finally begun to clear out. There used to be some grass down there.

Currently here is the plan

1. use ryobi triblade to cut down stalks
2. rake/drag them onto a tarp and take to pickup
3. mow over it

4. ahhhhh. ? Here is where I'm not sure what to do.
Do I need to put down some deterrent to similar thorn
bush growth? Or just grass seed and fertilizer?
It doesn't have to be perfect I just want some basic
grass growing there again.

Thanks,

itchy


The soil likely contains many, many seeds from the thorny weeds. When
the weather in spring warms, lightly feed the area and keep it moist.
You will likely get new growth of the weeds. You can then till the
soil, use an herbicide, or hand pull the weeds. Any of those three
should eliminate them. However, you will have to repeat this for a few
months to ensure all the weed seeds have sprouted.

When you finally plant grass seed and the grass is well established, mow
frequently to elminate the few residual weeds. If you mow frequently
enough that the grass clippings are quite small, you can leave the
clippings to improve the soil and possibly smother new seedling weeds.
However, you should rake away any large clippings of the weeds themselves.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

writes:

Hi,

I have about 1/2 acre of thorn bushes that I've finally begun to clear out. There used to be some grass down there.

Currently here is the plan

1. use ryobi triblade to cut down stalks
2. rake/drag them onto a tarp and take to pickup
3. mow over it

4. ahhhhh. ? Here is where I'm not sure what to do.
Do I need to put down some deterrent to similar thorn
bush growth? Or just grass seed and fertilizer?
It doesn't have to be perfect I just want some basic
grass growing there again.

I'd try:

1. Spray with RoundUp
2. Mow

The RoundUp goes on while the plants are growing.
The thorns bushes should die in a few days.
After a week or so, you should be able to push a mower
into it and turn everything into compost or waste.

--
Dan Espen

On Sunday, February 24, 2013 1:12:51 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Hi, I have about 1/2 acre of thorn bushes[...]

ok guys thanks for the advice! onward grid method.

wrote:
Hi,

I have about 1/2 acre of thorn bushes that I've finally begun to clear out. There used to be some grass down there.

Currently here is the plan

1. use ryobi triblade to cut down stalks
2. rake/drag them onto a tarp and take to pickup
3. mow over it

4. ahhhhh. ? Here is where I'm not sure what to do.
Do I need to put down some deterrent to similar thorn
bush growth? Or just grass seed and fertilizer?
It doesn't have to be perfect I just want some basic
grass growing there again.

get a mix of grass seed that is suitable to
your area and climate. however, it's pretty
likely the soil already has seeds in it that
will pop up once the brush is removed. lowest
budget and most carefree ground cover is what
is native or what comes on the wind.

i wouldn't bother with fertilizer. the soil
is likely fertile enough. especially if you
use a mulching mower.

when you cut the bushes down get as close to
the surface of the soil as possible because those
bush stalks will be around for a few years before
they decompose.

keep it mowed regularly and that will keep most
of the bushes from regrowing. if they do get too
big to take out with the mower just keep at them
with the triblade. i hate using herbicides
but spot treating the difficult cases is much
better than spraying the whole area.

regular mowing also helps it look neater. i
keep the mower cutting height fairly high.

the roots from the bushes will eventually break
down and mushrooms will pop up. the mower will
mulch those too... i.e. no worries.


songbird

In article ,
wrote:

Hi,

I have about 1/2 acre of thorn bushes that I've finally begun to clear out.
There used to be some grass down there.

Currently here is the plan

1. use ryobi triblade to cut down stalks
2. rake/drag them onto a tarp and take to pickup
3. mow over it

4. ahhhhh. ? Here is where I'm not sure what to do.
Do I need to put down some deterrent to similar thorn
bush growth? Or just grass seed and fertilizer?
It doesn't have to be perfect I just want some basic
grass growing there again.

Thanks,

itchy

Is it possible to let the cut bush dry, and then burn it on the stump it
was cut from? The up side is that you will return potassium to the soil,
and suppress adventitious buds. The downside, if it is legal, is that in
the 'burbs, you may ****-off your neighbors something wonderful.

Just a thought, may not apply to you.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/bu...ent/04weed.htm
l?pagewanted=all
American farmers¹ near-ubiquitous use of the weedkiller Roundup has led
to the rapid growth of tenacious new superweeds.
To fight them, farmers throughout the East, Midwest and South are being
forced to spray fields with more toxic herbicides, pull weeds by hand
and return to more labor-intensive methods like regular plowing.

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/glyphosatePoisonsCrops.php
Scientists Reveal Glyphosate Poisons Crops and Soil

--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Next time vote Green Party