War on Honeylocust

[tyb525]

On my 100 acres (about 60 of it woods), it appears that an area about 4 acres in size has become overrun with Honey Locusts. I don't know when this started (probably way back). There used to be a house and barn there years ago, and I think this 4 acres used to be clear. Since Honeylocusts have thorns inches long, and I don't want them to take over, I've decided that I want to remove them. Or at least thin them out a whole lot.

Could anyone suggest a good method of removal?

[HOOF-ER]

solid tire skid loader is a good method. One of the Amish down here has a tree shear for his skid steer. Just run up to the tree,grab it, pinch it off and drive over to the burn pile.  Works great for the smaller ones 6" or less?
Log the bigger ones!

[WildDog]

Hi tyb525 you could try Basal Barking, before leaves turn, mix 1 to 20 Starane to diesel and with a backpack spray unit coat the trunk for about 18inches up from the ground. On larger ones with a butt over 4 to 6 inches you can stem inject with a tomahawk...make your cuts about 4 inches apart and inject each cut with 2mls of diluted Tordone or if registered for use as stem injection over there try 2mls straight Roundup.

I've recently had the boys at work treating Honey Locust in the riparian zone it has been very successful, try not to get stuck by the thorns they tend to get infected.

[Larry]

I got rid of a bunch of honey locusts by ringing twice with a chainsaw and squirting herbicide in the bottom ring.  After a few years the bark and thorns fall off, making it easy to cut the tree for firewood.  Don't even think of removal without using a herbicide as the tree stump sprouts with a vengeance.

I found RTU Tordon available at most farm stores the best/cheapest herbicide for control.  Growing season straight Roundup also works.

[tyb525]

Thanks guys I'll try that.

[woodsteach]

We use our Skidloader and timberline tree shear.  We put slime in the tires and it seems to work.

As for the suckers popping up from the stump and roots we have gone away from tordon and the chemicals and are in the process this year of using a very salty h2o spray. 

We won't know how effective it is for a while but will keep you posted.  I do know that the local coop sprayed the pasture for 2 years straight with ____  (I forget what) and it hardly stunted the sumac or the honey locust.

an extension agent told me about tordon being in a direct correlation to lukeima and 100% true or not we decided the chance is not worth it.  Do some google searching and the reports ... well decide for your self.

woodsteach

p.s. I don't know if you can win the WAR on honey locust.  Just keep winning a few of the battles.   :D

[John Mc]

I tried the "no chemicals" route on my Buckthorn infestations (an invasive species common in my area): cutting trees, then cutting sprouts, etc. I just couldn't keep up with it. The technique I use now is to cut it down low, then brush the stump with Round-up (glyphosphate) as soon as possible after cutting. The best time to do this (at least in my area) is from mid-August to late September. At that time, the tree is sending its reserves down to the root system for the winter... it sucks the Round-up right down with it. I'm living with the fact that I had to resort to chemicals... at least it's focussed right on the problem (brushing the stump), rather than sprayed all around. And Glyphosphate is claimed to break down very quickly in contact with the soil (though there is apparently some recent controversy on this point)

NOTE: Round-up / glyphosphate is avaiable in a variety of concentrations. The stuff you find in the local hardware stores around here typically maxes out at about 18% concentration. That's not enough to keep the buckthorn from re-sprouting. I've found that 25% works OK most of the time, but you need to get up to at least 35% to be reliably effective. Farm supply stores and Home Depot in my area sell 41% and even 50% concentration (more than that and you need a special license, at least in Vermont). I've settled on the 41% strength - effective, and less expensive than the 50%. Buying the generic glyphosphate is much cheaper than buying "Round-Up" brand.

John Mc

[oakiemac]

tyb525, what part of  eastern Indiana is your property on?

My grandfather had a farm in eastern Indiana right by the Ohio line near Portland and he had thousands of honey locusts. We called his place thorny acres and those needles would go right through a double layered tractor tire. Some pretty gnarly stuff.

[woodmills1]

here is a trick I used to get control of a bunch of hybred poplars that once cut down, would root sucker me to death the next year.  The first part was easy for me causin ifin ya bins here long ya wemembers I wasin a teacher.

I went to the cafeteria and got all the #10 food cans I could, and when I cut one of the poplars i would slip the can over the stump.  No more sprouting, thought those poplars would root sprout 3 feet away.  Took me 3 years but I got them all.

[tyb525]

tyb525, what part of  eastern Indiana is your property on?

My grandfather had a farm in eastern Indiana right by the Ohio line near Portland and he had thousands of honey locusts. We called his place thorny acres and those needles would go right through a double layered tractor tire. Some pretty gnarly stuff.

I live in the southeastern corner of grant county..besides the honey locusts the trees are pretty nice..tons of big hardwoods (ash, maple, oak, hickory, beech, walnut, etc.) and too many giant sycamores to count.