Land clearing is good old-fashioned hard work but with the right tools and techniques, your landscape business can get the job done efficiently. There are different types of land clearing approaches you can use and multiple steps to follow for a clean job. Take a look at some of the most effective options.
Bulldozing
If you need to clear a huge area, bulldozing is the quickest option and usually the cheapest. Bulldozers basically push the trees over with little finesse. If you want to keep a few trees, such as around the perimeter, you may want to use a smaller machine.
A good choice that is more maneuverable is a skid-steer tractor. With skid steer attachments for cutting trees, you can drive this tractor into the tree, cut it off at the ground, and pick it up with shears and carry it away.
Forestry Mowing
This technique employs giant grinders that mow down the smallest weeds up to medium-size trees. The grinders turn everything they mow into mulch, which your landscape business can sell or use on-site. Tree stumps are cut level with the ground and left to decay with this method.
After the trees have been cleared a flail mower is useful for maintaining the acreage. It will handle the heavier grass and scrub that a lawnmower can’t tackle. If your land has a lot of vines such as the pesky kudzu or poison ivy, the flail mower is indispensable.
Chain Saw Method
While chainsawing is a slower method than those listed above, it has the advantage of being less disruptive to the land and less prone to causing erosion of the topsoil. It also permits you to be selective about which trees you take and which trees you leave. You can leave a copse of trees at the perimeter for privacy.
With this method, stumps may be removed by bulldozer later or cut to the ground to decay naturally. Stumps can also be ground to just below surface level and then covered over with topsoil.
Mulching
Once you have cleared the land of unwanted trees and large brush, mulching is an excellent way to discourage the regrowth of weeds and scrub. While some weeds, such as rhizomatous grass, can punch their way through the mulch, it is still a worthwhile inhibitor of many common weeds.
In addition to laying mulch, use a landscape rake for tractor. It will take care of many weed roots still buried in the ground by dragging them to the surface with its tines. Once on the surface, it’s a fairly easy matter to collect them and add them to a burn or compost pile.
Earth Grading
After all is cleared, don’t forget the earth grading. You will need to backfill any holes left by tree stumps and roots. Then you can grade the land for its next purpose.
Land clearing is a time-consuming but necessary first step before land can be put to its best use. With a plan and the tools in place, you will get the results you want.
