Brush killers

[504]

Dang gum thorny locusts are growing faster than the grass. What is your best spray? I need to get them knocked down soon.

 

[DanielW]

Ughh, good luck, Getting rid of locust can be quite a pain: If you cut down one main tree, the roots will shoot up loads of suckers for then next 5 years. The roots that the suckers are branching from are so long/large/tough/deep, that most sprays don't seem to take. And it's usually something you want to die asap, because locust roots are so long (locust is part of the same family as Alfalfa/pea, and their roots can stretch hundreds of feet) that they'll get into and plug up any tile, septic, or drainage system they're near.

Only thing I've found successful is keep mowing them down. After about 4 or 5 years, they finally give up. One time I drilled into the stump from the original tree I took down that was shooting up the suckers and put some stump poison in it. Slowed them down for sure, but didn't stop them.

Locust does make good wood though - if you can find one that grows straight (very rare around here). Black locust is way more rot-resistant than even cedar, very hard/strong, and a great firewood. And black locust fixes nitrogen in the soil (surprisingly) - although hone locust doesn't, which is probably what you have. I also learned it's one of the best woods to make bows from (a custom bow makers had me mill some up for him). But it sure can be stubborn when trying to get rid of it.

 

[Teakettle]

Triclopyr works reasonably well for me, if we're talking about things that are only a couple of feet tall.

 

[Texasmark]

Dang gum thorny locusts are growing faster than the grass. What is your best spray? I need to get them knocked down soon.

I was looking for such for Poison Ivy just yesterday. Amazon had Bayer (the aspirin company....that also makes my 125 insect killer), had one at a nice price for wood and Ivy...also kills anything it touches...ornamentals or grass.....If it works as good as its insect killer it is a winner.

 

[B. White]

Triclopyr works reasonably well for me, if we're talking about things that are only a couple of feet tall.

That is the best thing I've found to kill the woody stuff. Privet, wisteria, honeysuckle and any hardwoods that sprout back up where I've cleared areas and fence rows.

 

[Texasmark]

That is the best thing I've found to kill the woody stuff. Privet, wisteria, honeysuckle and any hardwoods that sprout back up where I've cleared areas and fence rows.

Last year I deliberately planted Honeysuckle for the Honey Bees. Second year on purchased cuttings and with a dose of Miracle Grow, and a goodly dose of rain, they are sprouting flowers everywhere.

 

[bwessler]

I’ve used Tordon herbicide RTU on thorny locust and it did a decent job. Be careful because it will leach to other plants through the roots. Bought it at TSC.

 

[504]

I stopped at our local COOP and they sold me Tordon,I'll see what happens by Sunday. Thanks for the replies gentlemen.

 

[UncleTom]

I use to work for county parks and we cut acres of trees and treated them with roundup mix with water around the edge of the tree. There was lots of Honey suckel.

 

[Richard G.]

Dang gum thorny locusts are growing faster than the grass. What is your best spray? I need to get them knocked down soon.

I assume that you are talking about honey locust with the long thorns.
They ruin tractor tires.
Black locust is a valuable wood around here.
Great firewood, fence posts, rails and never rots.
Got lots of it on my place.
Tiny little thorns that don't hurt anything.
Love it in my house heater.
Mowing takes care of black locusts when it is small with no damage to tractor tires.

 

[showcrop]

I had it come into a field once. I would go back 2-3 weeks after cutting and spray when small. It was still there but I got it knocked back pretty well.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I assume that you are talking about honey locust with the long thorns.
They ruin tractor tires.
Black locust is a valuable wood around here.
Great firewood, fence posts, rails and never rots.
Got lots of it on my place.
Tiny little thorns that don't hurt anything.
Love it in my house heater.
Mowing takes care of black locusts when it is small with no damage to tractor tires.

That's the type we have around here and I love the aroma when they blossom in late May. Lots of old fence posts around the place that are still solid but I don't think I've ever cut one down that didn't have carpenter ant tunnels in the center.

 

[da.bees]

Last year I deliberately planted Honeysuckle for the Honey Bees. Second year on purchased cuttings and with a dose of Miracle Grow, and a goodly dose of rain, they are sprouting flowers everywhere.

Classic example of "one man's meat is another's poison". Deer wear paths through food plots on their way to eat honeysuckle.

 

[Texasmark]

Classic example of "one man's meat is another's poison". Deer wear paths through food plots on their way to eat honeysuckle.

Last year I thought I would transition into being a bee keeper in my old age. The Honeysuckle is part of what I started out with a field full of flowers to feed the bees. Well the insects killed the bee hive thing and the Rye Grass killed the field full of flowers but the Honeysuckle is doing nicely.

 

[504]

I Have sprayed the place and it is turning brown around here. Lots of rain and I`ll need to spray again but its getting brown.!

 

[Rbellucci]

If you're looking to clear thorny locusts or multiflora rose without wiping out your grass, a 2,4-D and triclopyr mix like Crossbow is usually the standard. For the really stubborn woody stuff or stumps, Tordon RTU is the go-to, but you have to be careful with it near any "keeper" trees because of the soil activity.