Best method for hand-clearing lot?

[terracore]

Goats love uluhe.

[Bullwinkle]

electric (cheap) hedge clippers for brush up to 3/8 of an inch

2 stroke poulan hedge clipper for brush up to 3/4 inch (2-3 hundred - worth every cent)

B & D "Alligator" one of each re charge able and hard wire for volume up to 3 to 4 inches in diameter

I cut the 3 inch stuff to about 18 inches - set it aside in the green house for a year - makes nice fire wood

[Guest]

Yes we should cut everthing down, maybe pave the whole island, then the big box stores every corner selling the garbage junk that people "need". I sick of the bulldozer, chainsaw, weedwhackers and especially the cancer herbicides. Get idea people and leave nature alone, or maybe Madame Pele wipe us out. Too many old baby boomers crying about dis or dat, just enjoy your last years and leave something to others you nasty people.

[kalakoa]

That's the plan -- you forgot the part where we pave over the farmland so we can import food from other countries that have fewer regulations about pesticides and workers' rights, it's vitally important to the world economy.

[rainyjim]

What part of the plant to the goats like Steve? The young fiddleheads?

[Justin]

Just wanted to provide an update, for others that may have to deal with this (i.e., any new property owner). I've found that the best method, at least on my lot, is to use a hedge trimmer with the 3-blade attachment. Instead of the string, it's a fixed metal disk with three half-moon shaped sides. It cuts through the uluhe like nothing, and even cuts through stuff up to about an inch without too much fuss. I've found that if I clear a path through the uluhe, once cut, the uluhe doesn't really grow back, it just lies on the ground and turns into mulch. While I am sure I couldn't leave it that way for a year without stuff growing back, I've noticed that stuff cut 1-2 months ago is still fine, no re-growth. Cutting a couple trails, and then trying to inter-connect some of them, makes things much easier, because once you have some paths, it's easier to make them a little wider here and there. The machete wasn't working well for me, and I kept worrying that I'd hit my leg on a follow-through in any event. Anyway, I hope this helps.

[microage97]

Thanks for your thoughts! I we are hopping to buy a 3 acre lot up in Orchildland and it is fairly level but it is cover in some really nice Ohia that I don't want to take down if I can help it.

[unknownjulie]

Justin, what brand and size of trimmer did you buy? I have to get one of these for my huge lot in Hilo, but it also sounds good for Orchidland as well. Was it expensive, and is is heavy? Do you have to have a red canister of gasoline lying around to power it, and do you need oil for it? Are there any electric options that are powerful enough? thanks

[David M]

My input on trimmer/weed eater. You might get lucky with an economy model - maybe.
Moved here with one of the Ryobi types, the one with various attachments. Really liked it, but was often hard to start. One week, after many many tries over a few days, I finally gave up, went to HD and bought a new one, same model, as I wanted to be able to use my attachments. After a few hours use, trying to clear some wainaku grass, some piece of plastic on carb broke. No problem, HD cheerfully replaced it. That one didn't last as long, same part. Took it back for a refund. Bought another unit from Sears, it would run and quit. Took it back. All this time, local friends kept telling my, buy a shindaiwa - but I definitely did not want to spend the money, but I did, and 7 years later and only one servicing, still runs like a champ. About 3 years ago, went back to Garden Exchange, looking for a lighter model and got a Mariyama, very nice machine as well. Both take gas/oil mix. Not sure an electric is powerful enough, but don't know for sure as my only experience is the older types or rechargeables - city machines.

David

Ninole Resident
Please visit vacation.ninolehawaii.com

[Justin]

I'm pretty sure mine is a Ryobi from HD. I looked for the attachment first, and then found the trimmer to go with it. I think, at that time, Ryobi was the only one in HD that had the metal attachment piece that I wanted. It's 4 stroke, so oil goes in place and gas goes in another - no mixing. That's nice, because I'm running out of gas well before I need any more oil. I have had some issues re-starting it, but nothing too problematic as of yet. It's not light, but it's not heavy either, if that makes any sense. I do have a little red canister, but I think I'd have to fill the gas on the trimmer about 5-10 times before I used up the red cannister. Hope that helps.