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+--- Thread: Best method for hand-clearing lot? (/showthread.php?tid=11986)
Best method for hand-clearing lot? - Justin - 05-29-2013
I just purchased an empty lot next to my house, and while I am excited about all of the opportunities, I am worried a bit about the amount of effort it will take to clear all of the undergrowth. The lot is in Leilani, and the growth is almost all native rainforest plants (Ohia, Hapu'u, and Uluhe). My plan is to hand clear so as to not disturb the Ohia roots. I'd also like to keep all the Hapu'u as well.
But I'd like to clear the Uluhe, and it is thick, plus there are Maile vines as well, making walking even 5-10 feet an adventure. I'd like to learn from everyone's prior experiences, so can you let me know the best way to clear the ground ferns? My thoughts so far have been:
1) just pull everything out, going inch by inch, starting at the property edge
2) use a machete to cut some sort of a path, then pull once I have a path system in place
3) use a weed-eater or brush cutter to knock everything down to a manageable height, then go from there.
Any other ideas? Thank you all in advance.
Justin
RE: Best method for hand-clearing lot? - lquade - 05-29-2013
just remember that the uluhe is the very best at keeping out all the invasives. in other words, remember that whereever you take it out, you are commiting to weedwhipping forever... that said, i did one small lot completely and a large portion of acreage by hand, pulling the uluhe out of the trees and then weedwhipping into mulch. it is very doable and i am not a youngster. watch out for lava holes and other surprizes as you go and wear gloves for the little thorns in the uluhe.
RE: Best method for hand-clearing lot? - rainyjim - 05-29-2013
I've been doing similar things up in orchidland and my tools of choice are the machete, chainsaw, and weedwacker. I just wish I had six hands so I could use all of them at once! What I think would help the most would be a wood chipper to pull around behind me and shred all the green waste your making as you clear out the jungle
RE: Best method for hand-clearing lot? - Jay Bondesen - 05-29-2013
I don't know if it's the best way but I pulled mine, the Uluhe, out by hand and stomped it into a nearby puka. It takes some time but just do a section at a time but it can be done. For sure it requires long pants and long sleeved shirt and even then the broken off stems will still get you. As rough as the lava was on my lot I don't think any tools would last very long and the stems take forever to decompose so pulling as many out as possible looks better to me.
Jay
RE: Best method for hand-clearing lot? - Rene Siracusa - 05-29-2013
When I first bought my land in 1979 I pulled out the uluhe along the road. What did I know? I'm sorry now I did it because I was too successful and it never grew back. Lots of weeds took the opportunity to infest my property without the uluhe there to pose an obstacle. I strongly recommend that you leave your uluhe as a border along your property line, at the very least. A creative lei-maker can do wonders with uluhe. Maile too. Your lot in Leilani is blessed with native Hawaiian forest, found no where else on earth. Treasure it. Nurture it. Learn about it so that you can see and appreciate its very special beauty.
RE: Best method for hand-clearing lot? - Justin - 05-29-2013
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I don't intend to pull out all of the Uluhe (and I have a bunch on my current lot anyway), but I need to pull out a bunch so that I have paths to actually walk around the new lot. I'm hoping to set up a path system so that I can put in additional plants at my leisure. I'm hoping to maintain the native rainforest appearance, just something that is more walkable and also has some other plants of my choosing.
RE: Best method for hand-clearing lot? - unknownjulie - 05-29-2013
I used a cardboard box that I jumped on to make paths through the ferns. It worked really excellent. I've had many comments about how well it worked. Ultimately though, I had to get the D9 to clear a driveway and housepad because of big differences in elevations on my lot. It you just want paths, you can use the box, then once you get in there you can grab all the undergrowth and pull it out, or spray weedkiller and then hand remove it. That's what I did. It's still a lot of work. GL
RE: Best method for hand-clearing lot? - Seejayne - 06-14-2013
Investing in a hand tool called a sickle was great for me! Especially for clearing around the base of the Ohias.
RE: Best method for hand-clearing lot? - pslamont - 06-22-2013
justin, when you clar mail I would love to come get someyanked by the roots. I live in th rain forest and it would do well in my woodd aeas and be cool to have. wanna share?
I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says
"Oh Crap, She's up!"
RE: Best method for hand-clearing lot? - Justin - 06-26-2013
Pam, I'd be happy to share.