How to remove rhododendrums ?

[Brainflex]

Anyone know of a friendly way to permanently remove rhododendrum bushes ?
I need to shift a lot of them and I am trying to avoid using any nasty chemicals, so all suggestions appreciated. :?:

[maverick]

Cut them at ground level and occassionaly cut out the new growth from stump as it appears or Cut at ground level and cover over. Both these ways will starve the plant of light.

[Tantalus]

pigs are wonderful at getting rid of them

Tant

[R-Bowskill]

Alot of sweat usually does the job, to make it more friendly get some friends along on a clear winter day, burn what you cut and share the workload.

[maverick]

Rather than burn the waste turn it into habitat piles. Stick four stakes in the ground in a square and lay the timbers between them like a funeral pile.
Decaying wood is an important part of the recycling of nutrients in woodland, and is a very important habitat for wood-boring insects and organisms of decay such as many invertebrates and fungi.they will also provide homes for hibernating mammals and amphibians, as well as species associated with decaying wood. If you cut the rhody's in the winter expect to have a far bit of regeneration in the spring. I would leave it to the summer when the plant is in full flow this will really cause great stress to the plant and increases the chances of death considerably.

Rhody's are quite soft and easy to cut so it can be done using a bowsaw if a chainsaw is not available it also smells really nice when freshly cut. I leave the odd rhody as it makes great sheltered areas and they look nice when they flower.

[Brainflex]

Rather than burn the waste turn it into habitat piles. Stick four stakes in the ground in a square and lay the timbers between them like a funeral pile.
Decaying wood is an important part of the recycling of nutrients in woodland, and is a very important habitat for wood-boring insects and organisms of decay such as many invertebrates and fungi.they will also provide homes for hibernating mammals and amphibians, as well as species associated with decaying wood. If you cut the rhody's in the winter expect to have a far bit of regeneration in the spring. I would leave it to the summer when the plant is in full flow this will really cause great stress to the plant and increases the chances of death considerably.

Rhody's are quite soft and easy to cut so it can be done using a bowsaw if a chainsaw is not available it also smells really nice when freshly cut. I leave the odd rhody as it makes great sheltered areas and they look nice when they flower.


Obviously you don't know rhododendrums. They would just grow again they are that good at survival. Cut and burn appears to be the only answer with ongoing cutting back.I can get some nasty stuff to paint the stumps with but I want to avoid that.Unfortunately I have approx 4 acres to clear.Hohum

[maverick]

I can spell it though! :wink: sorry could not resist
My employer sends me to germany to buy ornamental species of RhododendroNs at 1500 pounds a plant,I have also spent the last ten years clearing the estate of the ponticum variety which is what you have.
so you could say I know them very well. If you cut the plant at the base mid summer and ocassionally cut any new growth I can assure you they will die.
I might not know bushcraft like you guys but I know plants trust me!

[Tantalus]

have you suggested a couple of wild boar in the garden maverick ??

:rolmao: Tant

[maverick]

It would safe me some work lol, but I don't think the golfers will like it :yikes:
mind you some of my staff come pretty close to passing as wild boars :rolmao:

[Lithril]

Obviously you don't know rhododendrums.
K keep it friendly please. :twak: :cop:

[maverick]

I understand brainflexs comments as the norm is to slash and burn rhod or cut and spray at a latter date. my suggestion to cut and follow up was very brief and made the proccess look simple but this can take several years and alot of labour. Although I use a tractor mounted flail, much quicker :wink: . It also comes with other problems if rhododendron has established over many years the soil beneath the plant the toxic humus layer still remains. Where this has built up over a number of years the resulting thick mat prevents natural regeneration. The only solution is to remove the layer. there is also the problem of seeds a large bush can produce several million seeds per year :yikes: .

the method I suggest has know advantage over traditional methods but I prefer to reuse any resources I have available and all that timber just screams habitat to me. also rhodys are very hard to burn and contain toxins and the thought of all that smoke being inhailed puts me of

The reason I recommended the summer to prune is that rhody's will respond vigourosly to pruning and the regrowth is almost intant this allows you to see what you are up against and I find that removing any new growth quickly and often through the rest of the summer works well at reducing the plants vigour for the following growing season.

There is still know effecient and economical way to remove rhodys but there are ongoing trials where as I recall the plant is injected with a herbicide over several months.

Anyway brainflex good luck with your project, I hope you enjoy the land you have and remember (see sig)

[Brainflex]

K keep it friendly please. :twak: :cop:
I beg forgiveness :cry:
My post wasn't meant to sound picky
I bow to superior knowledge. All I know is that they grow very well.
I have had a play with a mulcher, this is okay on the flat but the side slopes will require manual work and I was hoping for an easy solution.It appears that there isn't one. :?:

I have not bought this land for myself it is for my son and hopefully his sons.
As you say I am but a caretaker and I want to do the best I can. :-)

[Tantalus]

the side slopes will require manual work and I was hoping for an easy solution.It appears that there isn't one.

i posted you a simple solution and you have chosen to ignore it completely

what more can anyone do ?

pigs by the way will also encourage the regeneration of native species and add to the value of the land rather than detract from it

no manual work involved, and as well as decimating your ponticums pigs also provide a handy source of bacon

how much more organic can it get?

Tant

[Brainflex]

Tantalus, I don't have any pigs, however I am looking at registering as a smallholder, which is necessary to buy any.I wished to clear the rhodies first as I don't know if they are poisonous to pigs and I don't want to harm them finding out the hard way.Also there are a number of badger sets in the woods and it is an offence to disturb them, which I cannot quarantee the pigs will not do.

[Wolfie]

Try getting in touch with the Countryside Council for Wales. I know that on some of their reserves in N. Wales there has been a lot done to combat rhody. Alternatively, try English Nature they may be able to give you some advice.

[Realgar]

In the woods we used slash and burn on them - building up the woodpile around the stumps before igniting, Lundy use a similar method. The stumps come back easily if they're not burnt, as far as I know cut branches can also root and start off again. You can do it just by cutting but it means coming back every few weeks to remove new growth.
Realgar