Thinning Buckthorn in maples

[MN Jake]

I have googled for a little while and haven't found answers. I have about 9 acres of maples infested with buckthorn and would like to get rid of it, then replace it with something native to our area (central Minnesota). Maybe wild plum, black cherry, or something to harvest so a guy doesn't get bored between tapping and deer season!

Here's my questions

Glysophate? Because of our soil here, sand, I will only pull out the 1/2 inch and smaller shrubs. I will have to cut and leave the roots of anything larger to keep the soil together until something else takes. Nothing is alive under these buckthorn stands. I will have to apply some glysophate to many hundreds of stumps. Only enough to kill them. Will there be any negatives the following year for tapping and quality? Any opinions would be appreciated.

Restoration plants? Some native plants I would like to put back could be, plum, cherry, gooseberries, wild leeks, currents and also let young maples get started in the open areas. Are there plants that balance the soil towards maples? Or are there some not so good plants? Again, any input appreciated.

MN Jake

[jmayerl]

The best solution is to pull it out by hand. That might not be practical with that many acres. Roundup usually only works when sprayed onto the leaf surfaces. Sometimes if you mix it much stronger it will work on woody stems but you would never catch me spraying it in a sugar bush. How about brush hogging it and pulling out regrowth then when its smaller.

Good luck, thats why there called an invasive species.

[maple maniac65]

I used four goats this summer in an area of my orchard that I have been fighting non maple species for ten years. They ate everything accept the maple lines I was surprised plus they also fetilized the orchard for me.

[lastwoodsman]

To kill Rhamnus (buckthorn) when you cut off plant wipe the stump with a 50/50 solution of water / roundup and with a brush or rag dab the remaining stump.
This will ensure the stump does not regenerate.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/buckthorn/control.html

Woodsman

From above link---------

Herbicides to Control Buckthorn
Trade Name Chemical Name Concentration Use
Ortho Brush-B-Gon Triclopyr amine Premixed at 8% Cut stump
Ferti-Lome Brush Killer and Stump Killer Triclopyr amine Premixed at 8.8% Cut stump
Garlon 3A Triclopyr amine 25-50% solution with water Cut stump
Garlon 4 Triclopyr ester 1 part Garlon 4 and 3 parts bark oil/dilutent Cut stump or basal bark
Pathfinder II Triclopyr ester Pre-mixed at 13.6%, pre-mixed with oil/dilutent Cut stump or basal bark
Roundup, Rodeo, Accord, Etc. Glyphosate 25-50% solution with water. Look for 10-25% active ingredient glyphosate for cut-stump treatments. Lower concentrations work for foliar spray of seedlings. Cut stump

Always read and follow the instructions and precautions on the herbicide label.

Reference to chemical brand names in this column does not imply endorsement of those products. The herbicides listed in this article may be available under other brand names with the same active ingredient that are equally effective.

[GeneralStark]

If you apply the glyphosate at Last Woodsman suggested, directly and carefully applying it to the cut stump, it should not be an issue with soil contamination. You can also just cut it and then keep pruning back the new growth over time to slowly take its energy from the root system. What method you choose depends upon the size of the area and how much time you have.

Goats will certainly work as well as they seem to really like buckthorn, but soil compaction could be a potential concern. I have seen some old sugarbushes around here where they used to pasture animals amongst the trees, and the trees have really suffered because of it.

[bowtie]

glyphosate is not soil residual, you can spray it or apply it however and it will not damage any plantings later, so long as your follow the application rates. you use a paint brush to apply it to the stumps, i would use a fairly strong mix as shrubs and small trees can withstand lower "doses". not sure if you mentioned when you are going to start but glyphosate will only work on actively growing plants, i would wait a week after cutting to get the max out of it, as plant will go through shock after cutting and growth will either be slow or not at all. if you cut in winter wait until green up to apply.
good luck!! i have a ton of bucktorn brush that needs to be gone threw with a reclaimer, it is pretty tough stuff!! good fawning cover when small, practically worthless when it gets bigger!!

[MN Jake]

Thanks for the answers guys. I never thought to keep recutting a stump as it resprouts to deplete the roots and run the plant out of energy. A lot easier than pulling them. I would rather not use chemicals if I don't have to.

[MN Jake]

Woodsman,
I didn't mean to have you work for a response, I should have been more clear. I have been on that site and others many times. Generally speaking there is not much of the population eating from the woods anymore. So why would the DNR have any sort of info on the subject of weedkillers and any residual effect in this situation. But, I can research your list and find the most suited one for the job. I appreciate it.

You must be somewhere around Cambridge, Stacy, or Mcgregor? I know theres a lot of maples over there.

[lastwoodsman]

The DNR is very active at controling invasive species whether plants or animals. Being in the nursery business we are active and encourage groups and people to rid their woods of this pest as well as provide information on how to do this. I am even seeing it in Pine county. I live on the south side of the metro and as you know it is full of this plant throughout the 5 county area.
I either pull the larger ones out with the tractor or use the round up method. I can tell you from experience applying roundup works spring summer and fall.
Woodsman

[MN Jake]

Yes, this plant is nasty and where ever it spreads it almost kicks everything out. Seems to completely destroy the understory. I will do my part for my 11 acres. The neighbors most likely will do nothing, pretty sad.

[Red-bellied Woodpecker]

I hate buckthorn. One prob that we have had is taking a area out and re plant with dogwood or some other shrub or tree to just to have the deer brows that out and to have the buckthorn come right back. What has worked for us is using chicken wire (4ft) around a good number of small areas to keep the deer from browsing it off tell the shurbs or trees get big enough. Part of the prob we have around here is the darn deer brows out the native stuff to just have buckthorn fill in as deer dont like to eat it and once that happens there goes the sunlight to the understory.

[Clarkfield Farms]

I've had a longstanding hatred for buckthorn. When young, like russian or tartarian honeysuckle, another damaging invasive, root systems are pretty short and shallow. They pull easy. May I suggest that you DO pull them, all sizes, and have at the ready orchard grass seed to plant in the freshly disturbed soil? It sprouts quickly, roots well, benefits from mowing, keeps unwanted plants from germinating, and won't compete with your maples. Once the maple stand is established, the resultant shade will eventually kill off the orchard grass but you won't need it by then anyway.

Goldenrod, on the other hand, is hell on maples...
http://openagricola.nal.usda.gov/Record/CAIN789071613
http://hmf.rutgers.edu/2010_1.pdf
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/acer/saccharum.htm

hmmm, not sure what happened to that first link. It used to be a very informative article... now I think you have to click the link in it.

In the last link, scroll down to "Life History," then under that to "Seedling Development," 2nd paragraph, 3rd sentence.