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Post by biglakebass on Oct 20, 2019 20:09:51 GMT -6
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Post by sd51555 on Oct 20, 2019 20:33:09 GMT -6
A quick google of the quack materials at the U of M gave me one idea that might be worth trying, and you've got to read between the lines, because they didn't recommend this. Sulfur (not gypsum). The quacks are chalking it up to higher pH, higher nutrient levels in soils, high earthworm populations, too many deer, and too much available sunlight. I might try a hot dose of sulfur on a patch of it, as well as a test patch next to it and watch the advancement. Sulfur would drop your pH, suppress your earthworms, tie up nutrients, and perhaps create a new best-fitting species for those spots that could tolerate or thrive in acidic soils. Any idea what your native pH is in the woods? forestecology.cfans.umn.edu/sites/forestecology.cfans.umn.edu/files/buckthorn_pamphlet.pdfwww.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/2015/09/unseen-changes-common-buckthorns-effects-on-soil-nutrients/
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Post by biglakebass on Oct 20, 2019 20:51:36 GMT -6
We have 60-70 acres of infested forest.... Next idea. Not to mention, a good chunk of it you cannot drive an ATV on due to slopes to try to spread anything. This is a strap the boots on and go project. If it was 2 acres, I might consider investigating more.
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Post by sd51555 on Oct 20, 2019 20:55:07 GMT -6
We have 60-70 acres of infested forest.... Next idea. Not to mention, a good chunk of it you cannot drive an ATV on due to slopes to try to spread anything. This is a strap the boots on and go project. If it was 2 acres, I might consider investigating more. What, if anything, changed that the buckthorn took over? Or did it just show up and go to work?
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Post by biglakebass on Oct 20, 2019 21:07:46 GMT -6
Its been there for 15-20 years at least. 10 to 12 years ago we did a full blown attack on it.
One guy cutting, and one guy following with chem doing stump treatment. At that time, it wasnt an infestation, but it got our attention becuase it was now something we learned about and it was becoming prevalent. We also walked the woods with leather gloves and hand pulled the small stuff that was 2 to 4 ft tall. Ripped em out and covered turf. We covered the better part of the 60-70 acres of woods over a couple years. Some areas had little to none, but we walked most of it.
It has spread like wild fire now and to be honest, we just havent done anything since. Spending a half day in the woods this weekend, we got looking around and walking and really noticed what we have going on again. There are areas that are very thick. Areas we havent really walked in years. We have tried to stay out of the woods except the small areas we hunt just to let the deer have their space. Well, not traversing the land sure has us wondering what the heck to do.
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Post by Sandbur on Oct 21, 2019 2:28:14 GMT -6
Buckthorn is doing very well on my pH of 4.6 sandhill with cedars.
I should have started 30 years ago.
I am older than most of you and I don’t want to spend my time battling it,
Go fishing!
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Post by mnaaron on Oct 21, 2019 6:01:20 GMT -6
NRCS research shows that grazing goats in buckthorn areas works. Big seed trees will need to be cut however.
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Post by batman on Oct 21, 2019 6:05:01 GMT -6
After you get the buckthorn under control I would start picking zebra mussels or milfoil. Or maybe reed canary grass.
Maybe they are all bad ideas. Mature buckthorn makes some wonderful deer bedding areas.
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Post by batman on Oct 21, 2019 6:05:45 GMT -6
NRCS research shows that grazing goats in buckthorn areas works. Big seed trees will need to be cut however. Would not grazing goats kill every seedling in the woods?
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Post by Sandbur on Oct 21, 2019 7:10:36 GMT -6
After you get the buckthorn under control I would start picking zebra mussels or milfoil. Or maybe reed canary grass. Maybe they are all bad ideas. Mature buckthorn makes some wonderful deer bedding areas. A winter or two back, the coyote hunters were trying to catch their dog in my woods. Between cedar and buckthorn, they said it was so thick that there was no way to catch their dogs. I know it should be controlled for the benefit of the woods, but like RC, it is here to stay. Wildlife managers want to see oak savanna. That is not what I want to see.
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Post by biglakebass on Oct 21, 2019 7:48:46 GMT -6
After you get the buckthorn under control I would start picking zebra mussels or milfoil. Or maybe reed canary grass. Maybe they are all bad ideas. Mature buckthorn makes some wonderful deer bedding areas. yea, kind of the thought in the back of my mind..... in short,,,, futile.
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Post by smsmith on Oct 21, 2019 7:49:12 GMT -6
I went through 10 gallons of diesel and whole bunch of Crossbow last winter. Basal bark spraying is the only way to control large amounts of buckthorn (or other woody invasives) that makes any sense to me.
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Post by biglakebass on Oct 21, 2019 8:11:29 GMT -6
whats the mix ratio for diesel to crossbow? Did you have good results?
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Post by smsmith on Oct 21, 2019 8:37:07 GMT -6
whats the mix ratio for diesel to crossbow? Did you have good results? There's a bunch of info out there with varying mix rates. I started out using generic triclopyr at 1 quart per 2 gallons of diesel. I then found some info stating Crossbow was as effective as triclopyr...it's also cheaper and you use less of it. I'd have to go look at the jug, but I believe I was using a pint per 2 gallons of diesel. From what I can tell, every thing I hit last winter is dead. I will need to go back in and hit all the new seedlings that have germinated thanks to getting sunlight now. I know I will never win the war, but my intentions are to at least keep the shit from taking over my entire property. There's research out there showing that there are more predators in areas with lots of buckthorn and fewer deer. I don't know if that's agenda driven research or not....but it is at least worth being aware of.
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Post by sticknstring on Oct 21, 2019 9:11:08 GMT -6
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