What Tools/Machinery Needed To Deal With This?

[Burnerman]

Just before you jump in.....I’d always recommend the cow horn bars rather than the D handle......for strimming or brush cutting for any length of time, the cow horns plus harness are so much more comfortable.
Regarding mowers, for me its the Honda Izy every time......available in 16, 18 and 21 inch cuts.
The engines last forever, and the rear drive axle likewise which can’t be said for lesser makes.
The steel decks do rust and need treatment early but they start wonderfully, dont burn oil and don’t go wrong. Aftermarket spares and blades are readily available.
I have 1 x16”, 3 x18” and 1 x21” Izy’s and the newest is 2007 so that speaks volumes!
John

 

[Mr Sparkle]

My bramble is very high, so i assume i will have to cut it in vertical, downwards motion (like the chap in the video i posted).

Therefore, i will be lifting the brush cutter up and down a lot.

Given this, would you still recommend the cow horn bars over the d handle?

Interestingly, the chap in the vid says that he went for d handle model because he 'couldn't get on with his strimmer with the cow horn bars'.

Also thanks for the advice regarding the mower

 

[Burnerman]

I guess its all down to personal preference really......the harness for cowhorns is like a haversack type with 2 shoulder straps and the machine clips on caribiner style to the waist right side.
I’m likely to be strimming for at least 1/2 hour each time and for me its easier on my back, and the swinging action of the bars suits me well enough. Likewise with the brushcutter which is heavier than the strimming spool a D handle would be hard work for me.
For short strims the D handle is just fine......maybe you could try both at a horticultural store?
Difficult if its a mail order though!
John

 

[lostinthelight]

Its very late in the year to be significantly cutting a pyracantha, birds may be nesting now. That sort of work s/b done October to Fe

Op, Black caps, Whitethroats and Garden warblers etc love to nest in brambles on the edge of gardens.The nests are flimsy grass cups which are quite hard to spot so just ask that you possibly resist the temptation to to lay waste to it all without having a good look around as you go, difficult I know with what will be you new found power but some of these bird have already flown the the hazards of mist nets,bird lime and other barbaric forms of trapping to get here to raise their young.

 

[Munroast]

Op, Black caps, Whitethroats and Garden warblers etc love to nest in brambles on the edge of gardens.The nests are flimsy grass cups which are quite hard to spot so just ask that you possibly resist the temptation to to lay waste to it all without having a good look around as you go, difficult I know with what will be you new found power but some of these bird have already flown the the hazards of mist nets,bird lime and other barbaric forms of trapping to get here to raise their young.

Yes, these tiny little birds make the most extraordinary journeys from sub Saharan Africa to get here, such a terrible shame to destroy their nests for the matter of a couple of months.

 

[Mr Sparkle]

Wow, thanks for the advice guys.

I had not even thought about birds and the potential for nests.. I will do my best to visual check the area at all times

However if i do spot a nest, what is the correct protocol? Trim around it? Avoid the area? Apologies if this is a silly question

In other news, i just ordered the honda brush cutter

Can't wait for it to arrive! I haven't been this excited to get my hands on a bit of kit in a long time.

 

[Burnerman]

Nice one, I’d be interested to hear your views.
The engine won’t have any oil in it of course, hopefully a bottle will come with it but if not a 10-30 is fine.
John

 

[StephenOak]

I had not even thought about birds and the potential for nests.. I will do my best to visual check the area at all times

However if i do spot a nest, what is the correct protocol? Trim around it? Avoid the area? Apologies if this is a silly question

A silly question is, IMO, one you could have asked and didn't, which leaves you in trouble later on.

Personally I would leave most of it until the autumn, I said more about this in post #13. I suspect that is not what you want to hear but a gardener needs to learn patience.

My bramble is very high, so i assume i will have to cut it in vertical, downwards motion (like the chap in the video i posted).

I have never used a brush cutter. However it seems that he was doing that up & down action to shred the bramble in situ, and he was doing that as it is a pretty solid (well, intertwined) mass.

To clear an area of brambles (some of mine has been 4-6' high), I have always cut them off (by hand) near ground level and then pulled them out, and shredded the brambles separately.

I think it depends on what you want to do with that area. What he did will remove the visible parts but leave all of the roots to quickly grow again. That is fine for some areas but not for others.

If you want to plant something there then, if you shred the bramble in situ, you will then need to clear the area and dig up the bramble roots.

 

[endecotp]

I had not even thought about birds and the potential for nests..

But it was mentioned in post 17, back on 17th April, which you thanked!
You really shouldn’t be doing this at this time of year. There WILL be nests.

 

[Stivino]

There are nests and nestlings, too.
I have sparrows and blackbirds in my back hedge. I'm putting off trimming it for now.
I found half a blackbird's egg there yesterday.
There is a Hoodie's nest and a Cushie's nest in the Sycamore at the bottom of the garden, the Hoodie is clocking, I can see it.
I have a couple of boxes up for Blue tits, they were very interested in them a month ago but, they must have found a better place to nest.
They still come for a look inside but, they only look.

 

[Mr Sparkle]

Update

The belly of the beast has been successfully tamed

From

to

Honda UMK425 + Oregon blade = Legendary

Getting used to the machine and mulching took approximately 2 hours

Apart from physically digging them out, what would be the easiest way to kill the roots? Chemical?

Also

Before cutting the brambles, I had two cameras set on high sensitivity to detect for any motion. They were trained on the area for weeks.

Occasionally a pigeon would come and walk on the grassy area in front of the bramble but that was all.

Additionally, I thoroughly inspected the area prior (and during the cut) and I did not see any signs of a nest

Thanks for the help guys