GardenBanter.co.uk - Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow

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Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow

"Keith Nuttl" wrote in message...
If he has two acres he could make a beautiful natural area with all
kinds of native plants and trees.

Just because the area is natural does not mean that it requires no
maintenance. Just different.

I'm fascinated with this idea but don't know how to apply it practically.
We own 9 acres that are mostly pasture and some dense tree areas. In the
pasture areas there are sporadic trees that are 1'-2' high that we planted
in the past 2-3 years, in other areas plenty of Sweetgums and Cedars, and a
few Oaks coming up (I live in Mississippi). I was just letting most of the
land "go" with trails through it all, and a regular lawn area close to the
house.

It looked kind of strange having a lawn that ended abruptly turning into a
5' high weedy area. Mostly it was turning to blackberry and thorny vines,
and then eventually honeysuckle that strangled everything. I can show you
honeysuckle vines I saved that were 2" in diameter that literally cut oak
saplings in half. There was also a tremendous fire danger in the fall and
winter when all the sedge (sage?) grass turned dry. Not knowing what else
to do, last month I went full bore and bush-hogged everything except for the
trees which I flagged beforehand. It looks ok now, but I dread the idea of
doing that all summer; that was a bear to cut through.

Without buying goats or cows, what other way is there to maintain such an
area except for cutting it like 1 big ole yard? I'm all for reducing my
mowing time.

--
Cheers!
Duke

Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow

In article ,
"Dukester" wrote:
Without buying goats or cows, what other way is there to maintain such an
area except for cutting it like 1 big ole yard? I'm all for reducing my
mowing time.

Sheep or geese (geese are also handy for notification of
visitors/robbers, per another thread). But I'm guessing you don't want
livestock at all - though livestock are the best way to keep a meadow as
a meadow.

Bush-hogging a few times a year will keep it somewhat under control -
I'm guessing from what you said that you had left it for several years
before your recent outing with the bush-hog, which does make the job
more difficult. If you're essentially turning it into open forest with
your tree plantings, the need to bush-hog might reduce somewhat as your
trees grow. Killing off everything that grows there now and replanting
densely with things which do well in your area (thus keeping down weed
invasions) and stay low would be another option, but that's also work.

Up here a dense planting of clover works pretty well, though you still
want to mow a few times to keep the taller weeds from making it.
Controlled burns work well in some areas, but I can't say if they would
work for your particular spot - probably not since you are trying to
grow trees in it.

--
Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by

Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow

It depends on how much time you have, or stay with the property.

Several years ago we bought a new how that had most of the lot burned in
a woods fire. There were some trees but many were fire damaged and had
to be taken down.

The best way to plan your future woods survey the area, determine what
has potential and what does not. Further prioritize those items as those
that have immediate potential and those that should go immediately.

Each time you walk through the area trim with the priorities in mind
encouraging what you want and trimming back what you don't. There will
be a time when it looks like and uncared for area but over a few years
you will start seeing your plan grow into place

Dukester wrote:
"Keith Nuttl" wrote in message...

If he has two acres he could make a beautiful natural area with all
kinds of native plants and trees.

Just because the area is natural does not mean that it requires no
maintenance. Just different.

I'm fascinated with this idea but don't know how to apply it practically.
We own 9 acres that are mostly pasture and some dense tree areas. In the
pasture areas there are sporadic trees that are 1'-2' high that we planted
in the past 2-3 years, in other areas plenty of Sweetgums and Cedars, and a
few Oaks coming up (I live in Mississippi). I was just letting most of the
land "go" with trails through it all, and a regular lawn area close to the
house.

It looked kind of strange having a lawn that ended abruptly turning into a
5' high weedy area. Mostly it was turning to blackberry and thorny vines,
and then eventually honeysuckle that strangled everything. I can show you
honeysuckle vines I saved that were 2" in diameter that literally cut oak
saplings in half. There was also a tremendous fire danger in the fall and
winter when all the sedge (sage?) grass turned dry. Not knowing what else
to do, last month I went full bore and bush-hogged everything except for the
trees which I flagged beforehand. It looks ok now, but I dread the idea of
doing that all summer; that was a bear to cut through.

Without buying goats or cows, what other way is there to maintain such an
area except for cutting it like 1 big ole yard? I'm all for reducing my
mowing time.

--
Cheers!
Duke

Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow

Dukester wrote:

Without buying goats or cows, what other way is there to maintain such an
area except for cutting it like 1 big ole yard? I'm all for reducing my
mowing time.

Fire, flood, livestock, poison, or mow.

Boils down to those.

Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow

Offbreed wrote in
:

Dukester wrote:

Without buying goats or cows, what other way is there to maintain
such an area except for cutting it like 1 big ole yard? I'm all for
reducing my mowing time.

Fire, flood, livestock, poison, or mow.

Boils down to those.

you could also pave over it with asphalt, mulch or flowers

alternatively you could possibly genetically engineer leaf cutter ants for
lawn control purposes

Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow

You could turn it into a small offroad track for go karts or atv's.

--
Advertise your metalworking stuff free he
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"Salty Thumb" wrote in message
...
Offbreed wrote in
:

Dukester wrote:

Without buying goats or cows, what other way is there to maintain
such an area except for cutting it like 1 big ole yard? I'm all for
reducing my mowing time.

Fire, flood, livestock, poison, or mow.

Boils down to those.

you could also pave over it with asphalt, mulch or flowers

alternatively you could possibly genetically engineer leaf cutter ants for
lawn control purposes

Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow

Xref: kermit rec.gardens:272598 alt.home.repair:463949 rec.crafts.metalworking:449977

Salty Thumb wrote:

Offbreed wrote in

Fire, flood, livestock, poison, or mow.

Boils down to those.

you could also pave over it with asphalt,

That'll work.

mulch

Normal mulch won't bury the trees, though nutrient depletion
(nitrogen) might count as "poison".

or flowers

Mow to establish, anyhow.

alternatively you could possibly genetically engineer leaf cutter ants for
lawn control purposes

Oh, that's "livestock".

Kudzu might work G.

Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow

Offbreed scribed in qYmdnSEWEL9daeLdRVn-
:

Fire, flood, livestock, poison, or mow.

fire will make it grow FASTER when it comes back up

swarf, steam and wind

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Letting it go: Was: Proper way to mow