Pine Planation Maintenance with Riding Lawn mower?

[dheat]

I'm in the process of purchasing 17 acres. Approximately 9 acres are in planted pine. Would a riding lawn mower be sufficient to keep the understory clear or will I need something more "substantial"?

Thanks,

Doug

[texican]

I didn't know pine plantations needed maintenance. Are these trees several years old, still shrubby, or are they 8years plus, already 15' high or taller.

After a few years, the canopy grows together, and no light gets to the ground... and about the only thing that can grow there are a few hardwood species.

I wouldn't even want to take my large tractor and bushhog out into my plantation... it'd take a beating going over the rough uneven ground, the old stumps, the fallen trees, dead limbs, etc. Now if you have a lawn mower you really dislike, you know, possessed by satan, then sure, go ahead and sacrifice it... [of course your pine plantation might be a heckuva lot neater than mine.... but then again, make it look pretty, and the taxman will notice]

Hopefully, I don't ever have to do any maintenance on the plantation, or I'd spend weeks getting 'er done.

[cowboy joe]

My Papa hand planted 50+ acres of pine tree seedlings. Never remember him mowing around the trees.

If you still feel the urge to do so, might consider one of the heavy duty trimmers with wheels:

http://www.drpower.com/trimmer-mower.aspx

No blades to mess up, only the cord to use up. Former father-in-law had one and swore by it for cleaning up around the edges of the pond and the tall grass near the pasture.

[Common Tator]

Not only does the canopy keep the sun from hitting the ground, but he ground becomes acidic. Not hospitable for grass.

[dheat]

From what I'm told, the trees are about 12-years old. So, they're pretty tall--20 feet or so--I can walk through without stooping under branches. Nevertheless, there are a lot palmetto and gallberries growing up between trees within a row of trees. The open area separating a row of trees is pretty clean as the person I'm buying the land from bush hogs it.

I guess the bigger issue here is that I don't have a clue as to what needs to be done with planted pine if anything. Perhaps I should speak with the county extension agent.

Thanks for your input.

Doug

[foxtrapper]

An even bigger question is why those trees were planted. If it's part of a reclamation or reforestation easement, you need to make darn sure you abide by it. A lot of times that means absolutely no mowing.

[swamp man]

You shouldn't have to mow a pine plantation. Maybe a little cutting here and there, and an occasional burn, if anything.
You might mow 9 acres of pines a few times, but you'll get tired of it fast, and it ain't worth the cost of fuel, labor, and equiptment hours. If it's too much to chainsaw/beaver blade out, burn it.
I'd have to go have a look at some of my younger timber, but 20' sounds kinda' small for trees that old. Those shouldn't be more than a year or so from needing a first thinning.
What kind of pines are they?
They ain't native pines, right?

[dheat]

swamp man,

I could be wrong about the height--they could be taller. And the current owner could be wrong about the age--they could be younger.

I'm not sure what kind of pines they are, but they're used for chip board as opposed to pulp. No, they're not native pines.

[swamp man]

Originally Posted by dheat

swamp man,

I could be wrong about the height--they could be taller. And the current owner could be wrong about the age--they could be younger.

I'm not sure what kind of pines they are, but they're used for chip board as opposed to pulp. No, they're not native pines.

What part of the country are you in? I'm guessing deep southeast if you're dealin with palmetto invasion?

That's where I'm at (South Mssissippi), and from my experience, chip vs pulp is generally governed by what the market needs and the size of the tree, rather than the species. A tree a bit larger than what would be referred to as a "pulp tree", would be referred to as a "chip and saw tree".

If you're just wantin' to maintain the health of the timber, it's not terribly important that the forest floor be pristinely clean. Once the trees get that big, they have a heckuva' taproot, and are finding the water and nutrients that are deeper than the understory brush can reach. It does,however, help growth to keep competition to a minimum. Usually, a controlled burn is how it's handled, but only if it's in a safe location.
Definitely, contact the county forester, but you may get mixed results. Some of them are GREAT, very helpful, and some are beyond useless. Ask about help with a burn, as some states will help perform this at a much lower price than a forestry management company will. Lot's of folks down here do it themselves, but without knowing your layout, etc, I couldn't recommend that with a clean conscience.
Some pics would sure help.
Good luck with your timber!

[Old Vet]

Originally Posted by dheat

From what I'm told, the trees are about 12-years old. So, they're pretty tall--20 feet or so--I can walk through without stooping under branches. Nevertheless, there are a lot palmetto and gallberries growing up between trees within a row of trees. The open area separating a row of trees is pretty clean as the person I'm buying the land from bush hogs it.

I guess the bigger issue here is that I don't have a clue as to what needs to be done with planted pine if anything. Perhaps I should speak with the county extension agent.

Thanks for your input.

Doug

Call your State Forestry People and let them educate you as to what to do. They will do this free and give you a person to contact if anything goes wrong.

[dheat]

swamp man,

yes, I'm in the deep southeast.

The fellow I'm buying from mentioned controlled burns. The county or dept. of forestry will do it for an hourly rate.

I was thinking about using a lawn tractor to keep it DIY and the expense down. Since the lawn tractor idea is out, burning--if necessary--is the way to go.

I'll give the county/DOF folks a call.

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.

Doug

[Windy_jem]

I know a guy that owns hundreds of acres of pines on a Tree Farm that are all mature trees. He just has to mow the fire lanes and he does that with a riding lawn mower. He says it's the law because it's an actual Tree Farm.