Brush cutter attachment for weeds.

[Dane]

I am having a lot of trouble getting an attachment for my brush cutter for spraying chemicals on a cut stump. Anyone know where to get such a device as extensive searching has proved useless?

It comprises of a tank for the chemical to be sprayed, a trigger control and a spray nozzle that attaches to the brush cutter shaft.

[purplepear]

I wonder what part of "Planting" or "Growing" or "Nurturing" a machine like that is used for?

[Dane]

As a responsible land owner, I consider the removal of introduced and pest plants and animals a vital part of land management so I can plant, grow and nurture more appropriate things such as native flora and fauna.

If you would like to suggest a more suitable area on the forums for this topic, please feel free to do so.

[ppp]

people around here aren't against cutting weeds, but seriously, do you need something that poisons them at the same time? you aren't going to get much help here with that

[Dane]

Well sixty acres of lantana and rubber vine isn't exactly going to be loved out of existance. I was looking for some practical assistance but I guess this is the wrong place.

Could the mods please remove this thread.

[ecodharmamark]

G'day Dane

Welcome to the PRI Forum.

I see you have already met a few of the locals .

I've seen a lot of different bush regeneration methods, but have never come across an applicator like that before. Have not done any woody weed cut/stump for a while, but have done a lot in the past, in a lot of different bioregions. Always used a wand, brush, or for the really big ones, a syringe.

The rig in the pics you have provided suggests a rather indiscriminate method of application. Lots of off target spraying, and drift even?

Is the material you are cutting small in diameter, say under 5mm, and you have a hectares of the stuff to cut? Is this why you want to spray? Or is it that you just want to speed up the process of application on larger stumps?

I wonder if you have explored all other options? There are surprisingly many, for many different situations. Maybe if you tell us what you are cutting/removing, where you are in terms of a bioregion, and what other than reveg (if anything) you are trying to achieve.

Asking for a heads-up on a spray applicator in a forum such as this, is probably bound to raise a few eyebrows. But, please get back to us if we can help with any alternative methods/advice.

Cheerio, Mark.

[ecodharmamark]

G'day again, Dane

I have read your previous posts, and from that have found that you are in NQ. And, from just catching your last one, at least now we know what you are up against.

Is the lantana growing mono? Is there an overstory? Slope? Water? These are just a few of the factors that could impinge upon the advice ayone may offer.

Tell you what we did when I was working in the field on a lantana removal project. Now, this may or may not be appropriate for your situation, but it might give you another option...

The site we worked on was only about 6ha, was ex dairy, minimal slope, end of the dry, no surface water in the area, some remnant overstory coming back (had about 80% canopy closure) and no understory save for the lantana, which was 2mt high on the ground, and 6mt high on various trees. We slashed, both manually (with brush axes) and with chainsaw wheels on brushcutters. We cut close to ground level first round, so we could walk around/through the cane stumps, and literally 'rolled up' the lantana into big, fat 'cigars', These we dragged to the clearing/landing, where we fed them through a wide-mouth chipper. Once you get the pointy ends started, it just drags it through. We went back and cut all the canes off at ground level. The site was planted out with indig tube stock, and we mulched it heavily with the chipped lantana. Went back 6-months later, had about 80% success with the tubes (1mt), and a shitload of regrowth with the lantana (.5mt) . Repeated the slashing, and the mulching. Back 12-months later, the understory was really coming along, and out competing the lantana. Last I heard, 2-years ago, 6-yaers after I was first on site - very little lantana, and what remained, was easily being grubbed out by hand. Oh, I had about 10 (5 WWOOFers, 5 Landcarers) onsite the first round, which took us about 6-hours of hard graft to knock over. When I went back 6-month later, it was just the three of us.

I know it looks really daunting when you first start, I haven't shared the above with you to say, "Well, if we can do it, so can you". Just thought it might give you a bit of encouragement to think about something other than the spray.

Good luck with it, and please let us know how you get on, whatever you decide to do.

Cheerio, Mark.

[gardenlen]

g'day dane,

we all have our feelings about the use of cemicals in weed control, if it applies slashing down the area with a brushcuter then mulching it will go a long way even the addition of newspaper under the muck for hardy weeds, this works on nut grass so it will do same for other applications. there would have to be over spray using a device like that or uncontrolled spray at the very least? to find out about the attachement have you talked to the makers of the brushcutter? or contacted machinery suppliers in rural areas?

having said that i see no harm in using the dreaded glypho' to controll nut grass in an away from the garden and an unmulchable area, by cutting each plant and painting with raw glypho', especailly when alternative method like applying pool chlorine didn't work. that i see is full control over the application no chance of uncontrolled spray or spray drift.

so for you if you don't go the slash and mulch way, then controlled spray may be more to the point slash it down and wait for the new growth to appear then spray if. i got rid of grounsel by simply spraying strong (for woody growths) mix of glypho' on the young growth of plants up to 1.7 meters high they all died in a couple of weeks.

anyhow let us know if you find the device and where just for general edification purposes, first time i've ever seen says this old mower mechanic, is maybe it is a development of recent times?

as good permaculturists we need to use whatever method is neded to control or manage weeds but we need to do it with full conrol, not like farers who give scant regard to their local communities when the apply sprays.

len

[milifestyle]

Whats wrong with burning it ? They still burn sugar cane in many areas don't they ?

[gardenlen]

i though burning had been outlawed eric?

as from what i remember being told up mackay way they grow a second crop from the stool. so they took the burning pollution factor away in prefference to more spraying to control weeds and whatever they need to do to control rats etc.,.

catch 22 for locals.

suppose 'dane' could use a flame wand?? but would hazzard at a guess not allowed in high fire danger times, like now for most of us. still think much can be achieved with slash and mulch.

len