# Best Time to Mow/Cut (Kill) New Growth?



## max2cam (Jul 7, 2008)

Along my 1/2 mile driveway resprouting oak trees (grubs) and hazel brush, etc. comes up year and after year and has to be mowed or cut down to keep the driveway wide enough for the snowplow.

What is best time to mow small oaks and other brush to kill it or set it back? Right now (7 July), the big early growth spurt has taken place and is about done, so I'm thinking now might be a good time to mow. What do the experts say? Is this the best time or should I wait and let them grow a little more? I'm thinking that I don't want to wait until fall as they will have built up root energy reserves. Is that correct?

This is Zone 3/Northern Wisconsin.

Thanks!


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## JeffL (Jul 7, 2008)

Whack em down as often as you can possibly stand. Let those root systems exhaust themselves trying to push new growth.


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## Lawnmowerboy48 (Jul 8, 2008)

Roundup


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## OilHead (Jul 8, 2008)

Spray diesel fuel mixed w/ water on it after its cut.


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## OilHead (Jul 8, 2008)

Some bags of rock salt & bleach works good on the stubborn spots.


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## max2cam (Jul 8, 2008)

I imagine that stuff all works, but 1/2 mile driveway means I would need a tanker truck full! Years ago I did try "brush killer" (Ortho) and it was more costly than effective. Mowing is my best option.

I guess I'll mow now (mid-July) and if it regrows this summer yet I'll "hit" it again in the fall then see what comes up next spring. 

Thanks again!


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## fsfcks (Jul 8, 2008)

Get Tordon RTU herbcide from a farm store. In most states you do not need a herbicide license to use, but check for your state. Fill a spray bottle, then cut off the regrowth and spray the cuts. They just need to be damp not dripping, so a little Tordon goes a long way. That should permanently solve your problem. Logic says it might be best to try this in late summer / very early fall when the tree is pulling back into the roots, as this will pull the Tordon down too.


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## OilHead (Jul 9, 2008)

Can you get away with a controlled burn?


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## treemandan (Jul 11, 2008)

OilHead said:


> Can you get away with a controlled burn?



You know there are a lot of people trying real hard to save our planet? By the way I think some plutonium might work better than desiel fuel.
Go down to home depot and buy the big jug of roundup concetrate and a good sprayer and get on a program, not a pogrom like it sounds like you are on.


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## pdqdl (Jul 11, 2008)

*herbicides ?*

Tordon RTU is a bit pricy for a large area. Get Tordon "22K" for about $90 per gallon. Broadcast spray everything in September that comes up after you have mowed in July.

Krenite works very well too, and has almost no residual action. Application timing is a bit critical; it needs to be done in the fall prior to the leaf drop.

Roundup is not as effective as Tordon in cut-stump treatments, but it is cheaper and more available. Mix 1:1 full strength Roundup with any 3-way broadleaf herbicide. Paint or spray on cut stumps, you should get good results.

These chemcals should be available in most states to anyone who will be applying the herbicides for themselves. If you can't find a chemical dealer to sell to you, go by the local agricultural co-op. They will usually find the agricultural chemical equivalent and sell it to you. So long as you are not charging anyone for the service, these should all be legal for you to use and apply.

With patience: cut in July, come by in two weeks with a 20# propane tank and a roofing torch. repeat at the end of August. Burning DOES work, although it takes more patience.


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## ropensaddle (Jul 11, 2008)

Spike  It wont come back for five years but may take
two to kill it but don't put more out. It travels roots like tordon 101
and can kill trees quite away! I remember when you could get it in
sugar cube form but it is now a granule. I don't know if the public can 
get it we got it for powerline maintenance.


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## Pete M (Jul 12, 2008)

Something will always keep coming back. I'd just keep cutting it as and when.


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## pdqdl (Jul 12, 2008)

ropensaddle said:


> Spike  It wont come back for five years but may take
> two to kill it but don't put more out. It travels roots like tordon 101
> and can kill trees quite away! I remember when you could get it in
> sugar cube form but it is now a granule. I don't know if the public can
> get it we got it for powerline maintenance.



Thanks Rope! I didn't go into that one, because it is considered a _soil sterilant_. Spike is a granular material that offers *excellent* long term control of woody vegetation. It washes out of the surface, and lingers for long periods of time deeper in the soil. It will also wash downhill/downstream, so you need to be very careful not to kill off-target trees.

I use it to selectively kill stubborn trees. Throw a handful of 20p at the base, and it's usually done for. Great for mulberries, thorny locust, etc that keep coming up in a fenceline or a parking lot. Tordon gets them quicker and safer, but Spike is a better long term cure when you really, really want it to die.

Unfortunately, it also kills off ALL the vegetation if you put it on strong enough. Read the label, apply at lower doses, and you should be able to kill off all the trees and still have ground cover left. No special equipment required to apply it, either.

80DF is used for Spraying, 20p is the granular product.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 15, 2008)

Using a mix of glyphosate and triclopyr with an oil has some very good results in stump and frill applications. My understanding of the modalities of the products is that they both translocate for rootkill, but the triclopyr will also go to sprout buds. The studies I read a number of years ago suggest a synergy with the two products.

The big problem with any stump application is that there is a 15-20 minute winddow of application after cutting that kill rate drops dramatically. 

I've done stump paints with small bucket mixes, cut for 10 min, paint for 10 min...a cheap toilette bowl brush works well for an applicator.

I've read that diesel can be used as a carrier, but that is too stinky for me.

I've heard that adding bark-oil puts it near 99%.

The biggest hurdle in invasive control is understanding the plants you are working with. Buckthorn is the biggest in my area and the seeds remain viable for around 5 years, while the basal regrowth will become sexually mature in 2-3 years. 

So for buckthorn you need a 3 year control cycle for a good management plan.


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