Help with working on a slope

[chris142]

I want to remove all these jumping chollas on this hill.

The pics do not show just how steep it really is.

I know that I will have to go straight and don't try to get sideways on the hill.

Any tips so I don't get killed by flipping the tractor?

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

I am not familiar with your climate but I would cautiously wonder if controlled or selective burn is an option or out of the question? (Looks dry so I am not sure that is an option?)

is herbicide an option?

what is the actual acreage talking about?

anytime I am getting off the trail the things I like to walk around and look before driving…1. Holes or even depressions usually not helpful with a center pivot axle. 2. Large rocks not helpful with the center pivot. 3. Consider on direction of travel (are their places you can turn around?) have to consider how to properly ballast for you direction/needs. 4. ROPS and seatbelt. 5. As slow as possible as fast as necessary. 6. Risk / reward: Should I hire it out or just enjoy native habitat?

not sure any of that helps.

 

[85Hokie]

You have an FEL on the B7510? I assume it is a HST drive?

Let's determine the slope of the hill first.


Do you by chance have a 4' level handy? IF so ........

Find an average sloped spot

grab a stick or another small piece of wood, hold the piece of wood on the end of the level when LEVEL. Measure the height of the stick when level. Divide this by 4 (using a 4' level) this will give you a rise over run.......

example - the stick when vertical is 28 inches straight up with the level at the top of the stick. 28 divided by 4 is 7. So that would be a 7/12 pitch. Then look that up and get the actual slope ..... in this case it is about 30 degrees. Which would be dangerous.

With those boulders and rocks, I can see grip being a problem too - even if the slope was less.

 

[chris142]

I am not familiar with your climate but I would cautiously wonder if controlled or selective burn is an option or out of the question? (Looks dry so I am not sure that is an option?)

is herbicide an option?

what is the actual acreage talking about?

anytime I am getting off the trail the things I like to walk around and look before driving…1. Holes or even depressions usually not helpful with a center pivot axle. 2. Large rocks not helpful with the center pivot. 3. Spending on direction of travel have to consider how to properly ballast for you direction/needs. 4. ROPS and seatbelt. 5. As slow as possible as fast as necessary. 6. Risk / reward: Should I hire it out or just enjoy native habitat?

not sure any of that helps.

Fire is not an option. I'm in a high fire area. Maybe 1 acre I'm guessing. Can't do poison due to water aquifer. If you are not familiar with cholla they are mean and must be removed for my donkey pen I want.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Would goats eat them?

 

[chris142]

Would goats eat them?

LoL! No they are a nasty mean cactus. The spines are like toothpicks with barbed ends

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

LoL! No they are a nasty mean cactus. The spines are like toothpicks with barbed ends

I’d go back to number 6 above then.

 

[chris142]

The

I’d go back to number 6 above then.

The cost would be phenomenal and I can't have animals living around jumping cholla as the vet bills would be even more.

 

[Botamon]

To me it looks like you'll just have to bite the bullet and remove them all by hand........machete, big loppers, whatever it takes.

 

[Russell King]

I recommend that you do it by hand, digging the roots out. They won’t be deep and you can then put them in a barrel and let them die or try to burn them!

If you disturb them, every piece that touches the ground will become another living plant. Since they are the jumping kind, I assume that they will basically disintegrate into many pieces as you touch it with your FEL bucket.

We cleared 5 acres of prickly pear cacthus in a few days (but not as thick as you have). We used a cart to hold the cup up plants, a grabber to pick up the plants and a small mattock to dig up the plant and root (all at once). Of course you still have to dig new ones as they appear for a few years.

Now I just use a plastic bucket and dig them whenever I see one. I am learning to dig as soon as I see one or I can’t locate it again. I guess they go into incognito mode after you see them!

To burn the prickly pear was difficult since they hold so much moisture. We had to put a grill over the barrel top and let them “explode” then dry up before dumping them into the fire.

I don’t think using a propane burner to burn the spines off (and let goats eat them) would really eradicate then, just reduce the amount above ground.

Good luck and you can win over time. You unfortunately will have animals dragging them back onto your property so will have a tough fight.

 

[jimh406]

People use chains/cables to pull plants/shrubs. You might try that.

But, I'd also think again if it's really necessary. Maybe just do some selective cutting to get most of the effect you want.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

It would be pointless (besides all the cactus points stuck in the tires) to use the tractor to try and deal with cholla cactus.
And keep that tractor off those hill's if you don't want to end up a news story!

Get some cactus gloves, good boots, pants, good shovel, fine tooth rake and open top barrel.
Dig them out put all pieces in the barrel, dry then burn.
They will come back because everywhere around your property will have them.

Better yet just move, chollas are the worst!

 

[whatsupdoc]

I have some slopes that I mow, dont know your particular conditions
but I will pass on what works for me in my area.

I never mow in the morning the dew makes the grass too slippery, I mow
backwards uphill with the 3 point finish mower raised about a foot off the ground making a cut on the tall brush then stopping at the top lowering the mower and cutting again downhill.

I cut straight up and straight down no turning moving at a slow crawl only repositioning the tractor at the bottom flat area for the next cut.

Must be in 4WD with the ropes up wearing the seatbelt and only mow
slopes that the tractor remains level side to side.


Best would be rent an excavator with a mulcher.

 

[chris142]

I have some slopes that I mow, dont know your particular conditions
but I will pass on what works for me in my area.

I never mow in the morning the dew makes the grass too slippery, I mow
backwards uphill with the 3 point finish mower raised about a foot off the ground making a cut on the tall brush then stopping at the top lowering the mower and cutting again downhill.

I cut straight up and straight down no turning moving at a slow crawl only repositioning the tractor at the bottom flat area for the next cut.

Must be in 4WD with the ropes up wearing the seatbelt and only mow
slopes that the tractor remains level side to side.


Best would be rent an excavator with a mulcher.

Dew? LoL!

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Dew? LoL!

If going to the trouble to remove it…is it worth trying to make some hooch from it? I’m sorry I meant hand cleaner…hooch was a typo. Does anyone do that with the cactus? At least if it’s hard work to remove them maybe the sprits would lift you up?!

 

[SDT]

It would be pointless (besides all the cactus points stuck in the tires) to use the tractor to try and deal with cholla cactus.
And keep that tractor off those hill's if you don't want to end up a news story!

Get some cactus gloves, good boots, pants, good shovel, fine tooth rake and open top barrel.
Dig them out put all pieces in the barrel, dry then burn.
They will come back because everywhere around your property will have them.

Better yet just move, chollas are the worst!

Bingo.

Not a job for mechanical removal with a small (or large) tractor.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

option 'a'
'poor man's round up' ..... jug of vinegar with 2 cups of table salt and 4-6 squishes of liquid dish soap, mix well, spray on good amount, after morning dew is gone , should see results late afternoon., kill's all

option 'b'
miniexcavator would be better than a tractor. more stable, faster. $$

option 'c'
graze some critters who LOVE to eat them ??

 

[Shawn T. W]

Javelina will eat prickly pear cactus, but never heard of them (or anything!) eating the cholla's ... I use to live in SW AZ ...

No cholla's in Missouri !

 

[Bearcatrp]

Go buy some taneritte and blow them up. May have to fill the holes later.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I think you need to send everyone a box full of Cholla's and then they know why you just don't want to mess with them!

I've had to carry a 110lb wolf (ZEUS) over my shoulders for 5 miles because some idiot though it would be cool if they knocked them all over the trail.
And that tough son of a gun let me use pliers to pull then out and didn't chew on me.