Sweetgum

[ALwoodsman]

I have an area that is about an acre that I have neglected for a couple of years that is now solid sweetgum saplings. They are now too big to bushog with my tractor. Would I be better off to try to spray them or get someone with a brush cutter on a skid steer to clear them first? I plan on burning in the spring.

 

[Native Hunter]

I would not bring in a skid steer for just an acre. Also, a skid steer is going to disrupt your topsoil - and unless they go deep will not get the sweetgum roots. I would spray now and burn in the spring like you were planning. Then I would repeat that process as necessary.

 

[ALwoodsman]

I would not bring in a skid steer for just an acre. Also, a skid steer is going to disrupt your topsoil - and unless they go deep will not get the sweetgum roots. I would spray now and burn in the spring like you were planning. Then I would repeat that process as necessary.

Thanks. What herbicide do you recommend? I think the state forester told me 2-4D.

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks. What herbicide do you recommend? I think the state forester told me 2-4D.

2-4D would probably do it if you mixed it strong and got good coverage. Crossbow or Remedy Ultra would be even better choices and should really smoke them.

 

[George]

imazapyr is big with foresters now days.

G

 

[George]

Im not sure if they can get me to switch from triclopyr to imazapyr. It takes only one little squirt on a single hack with imazapyr but there is more chance of collateral damage. In a clump of sweetgum it may be the ticket.

G

 

[BoneCrusher20]

is sweetgum like the buckthorn of the south??? i honestly have never seen a sweetgum tree ha and i see you fellas always poking fun at it, its like what am i missing or maybe luckily not missing.

 

[Native Hunter]

is sweetgum like the buckthorn of the south??? i honestly have never seen a sweetgum tree ha and i see you fellas always poking fun at it, its like what am i missing or maybe luckily not missing.

Think of it as buckthorn crossed with bush honeysuckle that gets 140 feet tall.

 

[BoneCrusher20]

Think of it as buckthorn crossed with bush honeysuckle that gets 140 feet tall.

dear lord that sounds like something i probably napalm my property with if it ever showed up.

 

[g squared 23]

Autumn olive, jap bush honeysuckle and multiflora rose are my most pervasive invaders; if given enough time they can strangle an ecosystem, especially AO. But they can be controlled (not eliminated), and everytime I ride along the edge of my woods, I can foliar spray one of those 3 very easily and quickly make room for something native. However, any of those in large tree form would make control exponentially more difficult. You have my condolences


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[BenAllgood]

They can be a pain in other ways too. We had a lot of fun as kids having "gumball" wars.

 

[ALwoodsman]

They are tough to keep under control. I have never burned my fields but I’m hope that will help keep them in check. Bushogging doesn’t seem to be doing the trick anymore. They just keep coming back thicker.

 

[Brian]

I hate sweetgums; nothing eats them, they're not good cover - not only do they have no redeeming traits but they grow so fast that they shade out desirable plants. My place was a pine plantation that was clear cut just before I bought it 7 years ago and I have been waging war against them since the first year. Fortunately they aren't that hard to kill - but mowing them is pointless as they will just resprout from the stump. Remedy ultra is very effective on smaller trees. If it's too big to bushhog you can hack and squirt (I use undiluted glyphosate concentrate) or pull out the chainsaw and use tordon on the cut stumps.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Missouri Dept Conservation actually sells them as bare root seedlings!

bill

 

[Native Hunter]

Missouri Dept Conservation actually sells them as bare root seedlings!

bill

All mine are for sale too.......