[jayjaysin]

I've read all the posts on invasives and I have a huge task of trying to remove a few acres of olive trees from my property, or at least thin them out and prevent spreading. In some instances I'll use the hack and squirt method and leave them stand dead, and in other places I want to clear them so I'll cut them and paint the cuts or pull them out with my tractor(smaller ones).

Question #1, if I cut or pull and burn them is there a chance I'd be spreading seed or putting anything airbourne that might cause them to spread more?

Question #2, the area I'm removing them is a hillside. What's the best approach to remove them to prevent re-seeding? Do I go top to bottom, with the wind, or doesn't it matter?

 

[Guest]

There are going to be seeds laying there just waiting to germinate once you kill the olive. You'll have to figure a way to spray the area with Glyphosate to kill the new olive
seedlings once they come up.

 

[LabandBirdman]

We removed 2 last year around a shallow water impoundment. We cut them off at the ground and coated with Glyphosphate. Some shoots did re-emerge but we hit them too, they haven't sprouted again. Seems to have done the trick.

 

[Guest]

Yes, that will work on the stumps, but I'm thinking there are lots of olive seeds in that soil, just waiting to sprout.

 

[MOFO1]

I know how you hate those things Dutch...but they do give cover and food to certain species. Grouse love them for both reasons...woodcock for cover. I've bounced deer and bear out of them. Not all invasives are a terrible thing. Especially in the northcentral acidic strip mine soils.

 

[Guest]

Didn't say I hate them, but, they can take over, easily.

I have tartarian honesysuckle on the land I lease, the grouse love that area for the seeds. Having some is ok, but a couple hundred acres ain't good either.

 

[MOFO1]

of course...but a half acre plot of AO....good stuff

 

[Guest]

I will agree, problem is, it doesn't stay a half acre. LOL

 

[MOFO1]

if you plow regularly...they do. Or a nice controlled burn...oops, I said that.

 

[jayjaysin]

I'm only 15 miles south of Pittsburgh, so no significant numbers for game birds to keep them for cover, and a burn would be unwise as it could get out of hand. Once I get them removed, I'll mow it a few times a year to keep them from getting too big again, but in the 5 years I've owned the property, they are taking more and more land. I don't necessarily want them all gone, but I'd like to take a little of the land back and keep them from spreading once I get it where I want it.

 

[OHaraTree]

Cut those buggers and spray some Crossbow on 'em!

 

[Pa-Guy]

Keep them in sections, with lanes that you can mow.
Then watch the critter population explode!

 

[bake545]

I will agree, problem is, it doesn't stay a half acre. LOL

And they don't stay on your property either which is something people tend to forget. Regardless of it's benefits I hate the stuff but I'll never get rid of it now.

 

[MOFO1]

I have currants. They don't stay on my property either. Because birds poop out the seeds. And Boy do those things grow just about anywhere. You cannot control seed distribution by avian creatures. Are my currants invasive, or are they "good" because they are a berry bush?

 

[bake545]

Autumn olive is a berry bush and it's not good. I'm not familiar enough with currants to say whether they are good or bad but I have extensive experience with autumn olive and it's bad. In a lot of situations it's uncontrollable without extensive manual labor. Natives aren't like that.

I don't deny that AO has benefits but it's at the expense of native species that provide just as good of benefits w/o the invasiveness. This is a fact.

 

[Guest]

Here is how you take care of Autumn Olive......

About $150 an acre.

http://www.jrforestry.com/

 

[Pa-Guy]

Everyone has their own way of taking care of Autumn Olive.
Here's is how I take care of mine.
I plant one row of it next to young pines and spruce.
Ditto on both sides of this mowed lane.

 

[Mike M.]

Pa.-Guy I have taken a similar approach.It has worked out well.