I have mesquite on my land i want to get rid of, lots of 3-4" stuff. Will a mini excavator get it done or do I need a track hoe? Thanks.

for a lot of it getting a mulching attachment will most likely be much more efficient

https://www.fecon.com/mulching-atta...I8M-m5wIVtRx9Ch3YbQU-EAAYAiAAEgJOCfD_BwE

a decent sized mini hoe would probably have little issue grubbing those out at that size and a large excavator would be overkill

but there is the issue of what you do with them after you grub them as well and a mulcher takes care of that

plus with a mini hoe you have to worry about tearing hydraulic lines off the hoe if the trees are tall or have a big spread and then you have to fart around with coming at them from the side and maybe pushing them over some or beating the limbs off of them before you go for the base......a large excavator would probably have less issue with that unless they are very tall because the boom would probably be up higher and if you bring the dipper in carefully you just dig them straight out or just push the dipper out and shove them over.....but that is still overkill and probably a lot of fuel

But grubbing kills them, mulching doesn't they'll just sprout back.

I would go with a 320 cat and get to work. You can windrow as you grub to be able to burn later.

I had a 22 acre mesquite flat turned into a hay field back in '05. They dozed, raked, root plowed, raked again, then disked with an offset disk. Including planting the field in Jiggs it cost me $400/acre. I wouldn't be surprised if it would cost twice that nowadays.

You can’t just mow them. Grub, rake, burn; like everybody.

Probably not an option for everywhere, but control burn will hit the smaller stuff really hard if you have a decent stand of grass.

Skid steer with a grubber will be the most efficient.
You should be able to find something similar to this at an equipment rental:

skid steer mesquite grubber

I have posted on this in the past as I am in the process of clearing much of my place that is overgrown with mesquite. I am using Cedar Eaters and have a pretty good process. I have not gone the excavator route as it is more expensive, leaves holes that must be smoothed out, and large burn piles.

Instead, over a couple of years, I sprayed a number of acres with remedy/diesel mix and allowed the mesquite to dry. Then I had Cedar Eaters come out with a skid steer and forestry mulcher and take out. They made quick work of it (my experience was about 12 hours per 10 acres). With mesquite there will always be regrowth, so as needed, I spray the regrowth and now, a year later, the areas they have mulched are completely clear. In the meantime, I am also spraying the next areas and plan to have them back once I have enough dead mesquite to justify the expense.

Bottom line - there is no easy fix to mesquite and to do correct, it takes patience, works, and expenses.

You can cut them off with loppers or chain saw and then immediately spray with remedy and they will be dead. Quick and easy, but you have to spray right after to cut for it to work.

That's what I was going to suggest. I do the same with the salt cedar that infests my place.

What is the future plan for the land after the mesquite is removed? Will it be a field? Pasture land? Number of acres?

As long you get all trees, and not have any that will have beans, AND dont have cows. Whatever you do to clean them, should be ok for spraying ever now and then for what birds spread.

That's how we clear overgrown locations.

I personally have done it the ax and diesel method it works but it very time consuming and labor intensive. A friend of mine now has a skid steer with a custom bucket. The bucket has the bottom cut out, so that he has about a 2' x 3' hole and about 4"-6" of metal along the front bottom edge. He drives up to the tree sinks the bucket into the earth next to the base of the tree at an angle. He then tilts the bucket flat and raises the bucket over the tree and moves on to the next. We come behind and snatch the tree out of the ground. Since the bucket has the hole it removes very little soil, he is only sinking the bucket in to cut the roots then lifting the bucket over the tree in hole and the hole left after the tree is removed in negligible.

Only way mulching is effective is if you spray and kill them first, other wise you will just piss them off


Any large amount of acreage go excavator

one of my previous leases, the LO hired a bulldozer with root plow to do about a 20+/- acre field. then pushed up the brush piles and left to decompose. about the time I got on the lease was 6-8 years later, they came back with a vengeance that he didn't deal with quick enough ... every place there used to be a 4-6 inch diameter somewhat mature tree that was rooted up, there was then a 3-4 foot diameter clump of little mesquites that returned.

all I will say is to do it right the first time and then maintain as needed.

X2

I believe I remember your previous post. My, how this company has grown. I have a hard time believing this is the same company I called years ago, left a message, and 6... months.... later some slow-talkin', out-of-it kid calls and says "yeah, my dad said I need to call you." (The dad goes to my church.) I'd already had the place cleared. 'Must be a brother that turned the company around.

Thanks everyone.It's about 20 acres I want to plant sunflowers in.

If the roots remain in the ground, they will grow new trees. Where one was standing, a dozen will sprout after cutting that one tree down. You have to remove the roots, or poison it to kill the roots.

Well I just spent an hour watching videos of mesquite being ripped out of the ground.
I want the chomping bucket on the big track hoe, pulled trees out like carrots in the garden.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o_PTSq6Y-7I

If it's Mesquite or Honey Locust you gotta grub it out. Mulching it will only create more issues for you in the future. If you have Cedars, then mulching is the preferred method. Get several bids and see who can make you the best deal and good luck!

^^THIS^^ is the reason I spray and give the plant plenty of time to die before clearing. Yes, there will still be regrowth, but not nearly to the level where/when it was just pushed down. During the winter, even live mesquite is easy to push over with a tractor and bucket. A neighbor of mine did just that, and the small pasture he was working looked GREAT - for about 6 months. By a year, it had double the amount of mesquite than before. Every tree he pushed had evolved into a mesquite bush, make it much harder to clear a second time. Even dozing, with all of the soil disruption, will not get the roots out.

OP mentioned 20 acres for sunflowers - doable, but I think to make it last, it will take at least two full seasons before I would be ready to plant. Year 1 (when leaves have turned to dark green), spray all possible of the 20 acres (and FYI, Remedy is not cheap). Early Year 2, by whatever means you decide, push/mulch/burn/cut the dead mesquite. For remainder of year, spray any regrowth that appears to make sure it is clear. Then disc and plant.

I'm retired and have a couple of hay fields that have been taken over.
I have a 35HP Kubota commercial tractor with backhoe.
With the 12" bucket, it makes quick work out of anything up to about 6" in diameter.
Any bigger may take an extra dip or two but they give up.
I couple of hours here and there and you can see a huge difference.

Once done, I will spot spray and not let it get out of hand again because once you get behind, the bastards take over quickly.

If the ground is moist can you not pop them out of the ground with the bucket on a tractor, then diligently mow moving forward?

Mesquite

Remember seeing two large Dozers with a huge chain attached to each one clearing swaths of mesquites, seemed effective?

That will clear them but you’ll have to spray the sprouts

Mesquite is an absolutely beautiful wood. i love working with it.

I have chained several hundred acres just to get the grass going. It doesn't rid the mesquites. To get rid of them you either need to do a good job of spraying or root plow. Unless you cut a mesquite off below the bud zone it will re-sprout. That's what you get when you just cut one off and leave it. One becomes 5 or 6 from the same system. If you don't have too many and they are rather tall you can basil treat them when the soil is dry and pulled away away from the trunk. Almost a 100% kill doing that when done properly.

^^^^^

Chaining when done in warm weather is rough on snakes....but some folks might consider that a benefit. Mesquite is always an ongoing battle.

If you want to get it done I’d say go ahead and hire/rent a cat 320 sized excavator and grub them. We have one, and it is my preferred method of grubbing mesquite of any size and density. If very thick we will usually use a dozer or track loader to pile behind the track hoe, and if desired a skid steer to come though and clean up small stuff.

I’ve grubbed with a dozer, excavator, skid steer, and even a a little with a mini ex. If the plants are wrist sized or bigger a mid sized excavator is the best tool for the job, especially in tight ground

Of course follow up spraying will likely be required to keep an area clean. And if plants aren’t too dense Individual plant spraying ahead of time could be a good idea. Out west, I’ve seen entire areas sprayed aerially and brush left standing to rot so there are options for every scenario and budget.

Very effective, we did it a lot for large acreage. Soils got to be the right moisture though so it doesn't break them off.

This. Hack and squirt. You can use Remedy or Tordon RTU.

Yep. I’m a big fan of aerial spray, but grubbing is about the only way to clear if you want the trees gone NOW.

Huck & Hog,got some questions if you don't mind.

Apply as Remedy states or just on the cut surface? Remedy directions; "Spray the root collar area, sides of the stump, and the outer portion of the cut surface, including the cambium"

This work for larger diameter mesquites? 4"-8" + diameter at base? Water solution w/suf, oil mix, or diesel mix if not the same?

Straight Remedy or a mix; reclaim, etc?

Says spray anytime even winter to stump, recommend that? Cut as close to ground level as possible?

Got a number of larger mesquites that need to be removed, any idea on how long until sure no regrowth?

We use this technique on both large and small. Just mix the remedy per instructions. I just use remedy and water and put it in a pump up sprayer. Cut the tree close to the ground and immediately after the cut spray the stump where you cut it. That is spray the cut, I don't worry about trying to spray the bark. I do this regardless of time of year, seems to work just the same. The main thing is don't wait to spray. Make the cut and then spray the cut. Don't cut ten trees and then go back and spray.

When working on small trees we use loppers, two man operation. One cuts and the other sprays. You can move very quickly with two people working.

Try a couple next time you go out to test. You will know in a month or two if it worked.

Great info, thanks! This place is golden.

I love mesquite. Our fireplace mantel is a large slab of mesquite...

Outstanding, that's as clear as ca be on answering the questions & how long until sure it's dead.

Appreciate the clear info..

Couple of final questions/"make sure's", looks like a basic ratio is 3/4 oz to 2 oz per 2 gallon pump sprayer. That sound about right?

Again, appreciate the help & response

https://texnat.tamu.edu/about/brush-busters/mesquite/stem-spray-method/

If you are spraying small tree's that are smooth see above...

I would use more than 2 ounces per gallon personally to ensure I won't have to do it again, if you cut, then spray and it doesn't kill it, it will come back as a multi-shooted brush.