Native area/out of play Cancel The title field is required!

1. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   11/22/2013 8:11 AM

   Hi all,
   
   We had a big outbreak of invasive saplings this year, mostly Callery Pears and Siberian Elms, in our native grass/no mow area. This was an area that 10 years ago, when I got here, we just stopped mowing. Of course some years are better than others, but for the most part it has been successful, in our mind, with some good grasses.
   
   We are planning on physically removing the plants, and there is talk about doing a prescribed burn afterwards.
   
   Is this going to help keep out those invasive plants and other things? Are there other suggestions to removing and keeping the area clean?
   
   I have even thought about after removal, scrapping or rototilling or my guys have seen a "renovator" attachment on the front of a skid steer. Of course that would require seeding, would we really need to seed after a burn? (Just thought I would look at options incase we don't get to burn, we are in the city limits, but being a city/county park, we might be able to get it done.)
   
   We have always mowed the areas around Thanksgiving, (SW MO, transition zone) and have been told a second mowing in late April would be good as well. We never seem to get that one in, would it help improve the areas of native grasses?
   
   I do know that next year the plan is to get in and spot spray broadleaves and I suppose little tree saplings, any suggestions on what works the best? (And of course is cheap?)
   
   Thanks!
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
2. Jon Gansen

   

   1 posts
   
   11/27/2013 8:11 AM

   We have had burns in the past with our oldest natural area. During the years with the burns we had a clean natural area. Without getting into specifics once the burns stopped we have had to remove small trees and brush by hand or mow down.. I would love to burn again in the future it rejuvenates the area without seeding or disruption.

   
   
   
   
3. Eyman Stuart W

   
   3/14/2014 9:03 AM

   When we burned our native areas we saw a marked increase in Blue Stem grasses but Autumn Olive and pine still have to removed by hand.
   Stuart Eyman, CGCS

   
   
   
   
4. Michael Posey

   

   0 posts
   
   4/11/2014 10:04 PM

   Spray Crossbow.

   
   
   
   
5. Jeremy Hreben

   

   0 posts
   
   3/27/2015 11:03 AM

   I burned two years ago. DO NOT TILL. Our areas prior were a mixture of native grasses and some woody plants. After tilling they are a mess. WAYYYY worse then before we burned. The areas under trees that we didn't get to with the tiller are great!