Using rotary cutter for first time. I have a area that had lots of Kudzu. What’s your experience with the rotary cutter and Kudzu?
Rotary Cutter
- Thread starter Clt1bkc
- Start date
Bmyers
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
I had to look up Kudzu, didn't know what it was. Closest thing I have cut that comes to that is black berry bushes and the cutter did fine. Will be interested in hearing from those that have actually dealt with that plant.
I would think since it's a vine it may want to wrap around rather than cut like brush.
I used to live in Alabama, and man, that is some nasty and fast growing stuff.
I used to live in Alabama, and man, that is some nasty and fast growing stuff.
BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
First I think I would set the mower down low to the ground so that you cut it near the roots and then I would come back in a few days and mow it again to cut up the stem after it has dried out. Perhaps that will keep it from wrapping around the stump jumper.
Take a sharp knife, side cut pliers, maybe tin snips to cut the vines off of the PTO. Do not let the PTO shaft stay wrapped in the vines very long. They will get harder to cut off the longer you run with them on there. They will also grab the next piece of vine easier.
Watch as you drive over the vines for ones that go up a tree and are wrapped around dead branches. As you drive over them the extra pull can cause the branch to fall, maybe on you or the tractor.
Depending on how thick it is you may be better off backing over the vines. Be careful as the vines may hide thing that you do not want in your mower. Go slow and chop away.
Take a sharp knife, side cut pliers, maybe tin snips to cut the vines off of the PTO. Do not let the PTO shaft stay wrapped in the vines very long. They will get harder to cut off the longer you run with them on there. They will also grab the next piece of vine easier.
Watch as you drive over the vines for ones that go up a tree and are wrapped around dead branches. As you drive over them the extra pull can cause the branch to fall, maybe on you or the tractor.
Depending on how thick it is you may be better off backing over the vines. Be careful as the vines may hide thing that you do not want in your mower. Go slow and chop away.
Last edited:
Rough cut rotary mowers are made for such tasks.
Keep the blade speed up and the ground speed low enough to allow proper clearing.
A cutter with adequate grass clearance will clear much better allowing higher ground speed, HP permitting.
SDT
I'm in Alabama and BIGO is absolutely correct. I'm sure you could cut it fine with the above suggestions but it will return thicker and mad.
I'd spray it dead. Depending on your location and land permitting burn it once dead. If burning is not possible (safe) then I'd come back over it with the BH to clear it out.
+3 you have to mechanically remove it, and the follow up with serious herbicide. Cutting is not going to be a log term solution, and could just make it worse.
I was battling (and won) a highly invasive Japanese knotwood issue on my property. Wasnt until I physically removed the root system, and used a commercial grade 'ground clear' did it erradicate the problem. It took a few growing seasons. In England (i think) some of these invasive species are required to be buried 6 feet underground or burned.
Creature Meadow
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
2012 L4600, Disk, Brush Hog, GB60 Garden Bedder, GSS72 Grading Scraper
It is bad stuff, lot of it here in Eastern NC. Little history below on it.
I have never tried to mow it, luckily none on my property, good luck with it.
Kudzu was introduced into the US in 1878 from Japan as a Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and New Orleans in 1883 during an exposition. The plant was widely marketed as an ornamental plant that would provide shade for porches as well as a high protein content for livestock fodder and as a cover for soil erosion in the 20th century.
I have never tried to mow it, luckily none on my property, good luck with it.
Kudzu was introduced into the US in 1878 from Japan as a Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and New Orleans in 1883 during an exposition. The plant was widely marketed as an ornamental plant that would provide shade for porches as well as a high protein content for livestock fodder and as a cover for soil erosion in the 20th century.
There’s whole fields covered in the stuff here. Too bad there’s no use for it. Even drought doesn’t kill the stuff.
BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
This thread got me to thinking again about ways to control some plants or mow steep embankments. I just was reading that the goats will eat Kudzu. Maybe you could overgraze with the goats to control it. It says burning will only kill the young plants. The root ball can weigh up to 400 pounds. So digging it out may not work to well. The articles seam to agree to cut it and then spray with the weed killers.
you cant kill it, you cant make it go away, yet i cant grow grass in my backyard no matter how much i baby the stuff. Why cant someone make turf grass out of this DNA???
I've never heard of the plant, so went to look it up. This young man came up with a solution to get rid of it.
I'd like to see a photo of the area we are talking about. Just for reference. Is it overtaking trees? Mainly ground?
It grows up and over trees, power poles, wires, barns and out buildings, fences, .... basically everything.
Look on the left in this link. They let it get out of control here.
Look on the left in this link. They let it get out of control here.
Goats will absolutely eradicate it. My grandfather had about 10 acres of it. He fenced it and put goats in it and I guess the little devils never gave it a chance to grow as they nibbled it out of existence. It never came back.
dvcochran
Active member
Equipment
Kubota M9000, New Holland TN90, Deere 2640, Vermeer 504N, Vermeer 504SI, more
That is an amazing article. Have you found any large scale use or commercial products to use helium this way?I've never heard of the plant, so went to look it up. This young man came up with a solution to get rid of it.