Tool for trimming down ornamental grasses Cancel The title field is required!

1. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   12/23/2014 2:12 PM

   Just wondering what tools you all might be using to cut down your ornamental grasses.
   
   We have used a hedge trimmer and chain saw before, but was wondering what other tools might be available. We hesitate to use the reciprocater on them since we have so many plants and don't think the reciprocater would hold up. The hedge trimmer and chain saw do not fair well either after cutting down so many plants.
   
   Thanks!
   
   Mel

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

   

   1 posts
   
   12/23/2014 5:12 PM

   Mel,
   
   We have roughly 30acres of grasses on our courses. We use a hedge trimmer for all of it. If you find something better, please let me know!!!!

   
   
   
   
3. Jeffrey Sexton

   

   0 posts
   
   12/23/2014 8:12 PM

   Guys,
   
   If they are the cane type a brush blade on a string trimmer works great. If they are the bunch type we burn where we can. They burn up really fast but very hot. It is nice because there is nothing to haul away. I try and burn them when a light snow has been on the ground a couple of days and the grasses are real dry. This prevents a bermuda fairway or tee from catching on fire. We also use hedge trimmers where we can't burn. Burning them off has also proved to make them come out faster in the spring as well. Good luck.
   
   Jeff Sexton
   Evansville CC

   
   
   
   
4. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   12/24/2014 7:12 AM

   I wish burning was an option. The last time someone "tried" to burn our grasses we lost about 200' of white two-rail vinyl fence, two oak trees, a palm tree and one bench. The fire department though it was a good training exercise and sent four trucks. I guess starting a fire with a lit cigarette during a drought isn't the best idea. But you are right, they came back quicker and greener after the fire.

   
   
   
   
5. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   12/24/2014 8:12 AM

   We are in the city limits so we don't burn either, on winter our supervisor burn some and they did come back better, but the fear of being on the news "City Course caught burning" scares me a little.
   
   One of our other city courses burned some one winter and the smoke rolled out onto the Interstate that runs next to them, they don't burn them anymore either.
   
   Thanks!
   
   Mel

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

   

   43 posts
   
   12/27/2014 4:12 PM

   Looks like the best tool to cut down the grasses is a hedge trimmer.
   
   Any good suggestions on what the best one might be? We currently use a Shindaiwa Home Pro 22 DH. It works well on the small amount of bushes and woody plants we maintain, just always worry about it holding up when cutting down the over 100 ornamental grasses we have.
   
   Thanks!
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
7. Christian Pekarek

   

   0 posts
   
   12/27/2014 5:12 PM

   RedMax SGCZ2460S 23.6cc Reciprocator

   
   
   
   
8. Kenneth Ingram

   

   18 posts
   
   12/29/2014 9:12 AM

   Used to play rodeo. Guys threw a lasso, pulled it tight, and then used gas hedge trimmers. Worked well for Miscanthus, Calamagrostis, etc. Had a duck hunter stop once. He wanted all the grass we could give him for duck blinds. That stuff is really flammable. Was sitting in on a green roof seminar recently. They acknowledged that grasses could be suitable for green roof work but fire was a major concern. Kenneth Ingram, UMD

   
   
   
   
9. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   12/29/2014 10:12 AM

   Kenneth Ingram, CGCS said: Used to play rodeo. Guys threw a lasso, pulled it tight, and then used gas hedge trimmers. Worked well for Miscanthus, Calamagrostis, etc. Had a duck hunter stop once. He wanted all the grass we could give him for duck blinds. That stuff is really flammable. Was sitting in on a green roof seminar recently. They acknowledged that grasses could be suitable for green roof work but fire was a major concern. Kenneth Ingram, UMD

   
   
   Had one of my guys figure that out as well about using the rope, they had everything done in just a couple of days.
   
   I will have to check what our reciprocator is, worried about tearing that up and it wouldn't be avalible for trimming along bunker edges.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
10. Frank McQuiggan

    

    2 posts
    
    12/30/2014 5:12 AM

    We use the string trimmer with the 8" 8 tooth Blade from echo, works quickly on all types of ornamentals and small saplings.

    
    
    
    
11. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    12/30/2014 8:12 AM

    Frank McQuiggan said: We use the string trimmer with the 8" 8 tooth Blade from echo, works quickly on all types of ornamentals and small saplings.

    
    
    We have talked about that, but worry about the blade rebounding off the grasses and coming back to hit the operator.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
12. Frank McQuiggan

    

    2 posts
    
    12/30/2014 8:12 AM

    Mel,
    
    We haven't had any rebounds in the 10 plus years I been doing this. I understand your concerns as it was bought up when I suggested this to one super but showed him that it wasn't really a concern easy job and the string trimmer head is about 4 feet away from the body so we never had problems with it.

    
    
    
    
13. Grall Austin D

    
    12/30/2014 8:12 AM

    http://www.stihlusa.com/products/multi- ... tachments/
    
    http://www.stihlusa.com/products/multi- ... s/fhpower/
    
    This and and the blade attachment do wonders on our course. We invested in the hedge attachment this year and it cuts work big time.

    
    
    
    
14. Justin Murray

    

    0 posts
    
    1/7/2015 9:01 AM

    We use a Stihl hand held hedge trimmer as well as the attachment for our string trimmers.
    
    Reading this thread got me thinking about burning our grass that we can. I did a test today and WOW, that was quick! I know we can do it as long as we have a hose and a few guys around to make sure we keep it contained. My question, Would it be ok to do now or is timing important for regrowth? We have about 500 adagio plants that we could do. The remaining areas will be trimmed by hand.

    
    
    
    
15. Hulteen Mike

    
    1/8/2015 11:01 AM

    We've always just tied in a bundle and cut with one of our reciprocating red-max trimmers
    Fast and easy

    
    
    
    
16. Jeffrey Sexton

    

    0 posts
    
    1/8/2015 2:01 PM

    Justin,
    
    I might wait until later in February. This will assure that the really cold weather is behind us. Good Luck
    
    Jeff Sexton
    Evansville Country Club

    
    
    
    
17. Justin Murray

    

    0 posts
    
    1/9/2015 6:01 AM

    Jeffrey Sexton said: Justin,
    
    I might wait until later in February. This will assure that the really cold weather is behind us. Good Luck
    
    Jeff Sexton
    Evansville Country Club

    
    
    Jeff, That's what I was thinking. It was 19 degrees yesterday morning. In South Louisiana that is cold!

    
    
    
    
18. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    1/9/2015 8:01 AM

    Jeffrey Sexton said: Justin,
    
    I might wait until later in February. This will assure that the really cold weather is behind us. Good Luck
    
    Jeff Sexton
    Evansville Country Club

    
    
    I have always wondered about the best time to cut them down, my guys, (or it might be guy, we only have 3 of us this time of year and those pesky days off for me) likes to go out early and do it, while I like to wait until at least mid-February, because some of our plants are rather pretty. Of course we don't want to wait too early incase spring was to break early. But what is best for the plant's health?
    
    Thanks!
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
19. Adam Stottlemyer

    

    0 posts
    
    1/13/2015 1:01 PM

    We always use the same things, usually either a hedge trimmer or a chain saw. We would usually tie a rope around the grasses so they are all pulled up and also helps with cleanup of the grasses especially if it's a more windy type day.
    
    We always did it around mid-late February.