What do you use to trim under fences?

[Richardin52]

I have been using a Husqvarna brush trimmer but I'm looking for something faster that's less work. Maybe that way more of it will get done. What do you use and how do you like it?

 

[jedstivers]

Cattle.

 

[kucala5]

Cattle.

Ditto.

 

[Alan]

X3, bottom wire is not hot but it's red hot on the second wire up, just a few inches above the bottom wire. Never had a problem with growth under fence lines.

 

[B&M Farms]

Roundup and diesel for small vines. Arsenal for anything bigger.

 

[Hook]

We spray the fence lines

 

[Ouachita]

In this order;
1. Livestock; cattle and goats
2. Killzall
3. A Troybilt walk behind sickle mower
The only time I have to use options 2 and 3 are when I've rotated and don't get them back soon enough to keep the growth under control. Last year we had so much rain it was a problem. 2011 and 2012 no problem at all. That sickle mower will rattle your teeth but it works great. End up going to bed and operating it in your sleep.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cow tongue.
My fences are hotter than the hinges on the gates to heII.
I just don't have the hot wire low enough to keep out rabbits.

 

[Nesikep]

Ouachita, Oh do I ever know that feeling of continuing to hear/feel the last machine you were on all night, Our baler is really bad for that, and I usually bale at midnight, finishing at 3AM or so, and I have to go do something else for an hour before going to bed or I'll feel like I'm still rocking back and forth on the blasted thing.

As for what to keep the fences clear, First off I use cattle! The second, which I don't have, but am looking for, is a hedge trimmer on a pole, or an attachment for our Stihl weedeater, I've seen chinese ones for like $300 for a whole kit and kaboodle. My biggest problem is I can't use metal blades around most of my fencelines since there's usually an aluminum irrigation pipe along it, and I don't want to get soaked, then have to shut it down for welding... And you know, Aluminum IS magnetic to stuff like that! I saw 24" models of these pole hedge trimmers, they are able to handle 3/4" wood, which is about what the rosehips grow to, and I would be able to do quite a stretch pretty quick with one of those.. can go right up to a wood post with it and not damage the post either.

 

[Nesikep]

The last thing in my toolkit is fire!... I have some old Pyrene water based fire extinguishers I plumbed a tire fitting onto, so they're easy to recharge, then I put a pressure washer nozzle on the hose... the tank can do a lot of firefighting so you don't burn your posts off.. it's pretty effective, and I've got 3 of them now

 

[torogmc81]

1. cattle

2. we have a lawn and landscaping company as our main source of income. Shindawa T-242 w/speed feed head. Train the new guys on the pastures fences. That hot wire sure does teach them fast to hold it steady!!! :nod: :nod:

3. try not to spray too often, then you get weeds eventually where you spray and the cows don't want to trim for you when those late summer weeds pop up

 

[Farmerjon]

I have a Swisher walk behind string trimmer that I have used on our 40 acres that is cross fenced into 8 acre pastures/hayfields. Last year I decided that was enough. Bought my wife a golf cart last year and plan on having her drive me around the fences and am going to spray under all fences this year.

 

[pdfangus]

for those of you that spray....I hope you are using something to just kill the weeds and not bother the grass....my neighbor sprayed his fences with a broad spectrum herbicide and now the fence lines are nothing but weeds and the cattle don't graze them any more....

 

[Deepsouth]

I spray my fences with Remedy and Grazon so I don't kill the grass.

 

[skyhightree1]

Cattle keep it pretty clean but I spray round up and 24d and burn the heck out of anything under it I spray my fence lines once a month or whenever I see any sign of green under them.

 

[greybeard]

for those of you that spray....I hope you are using something to just kill the weeds and not bother the grass....my neighbor sprayed his fences with a broad spectrum herbicide and now the fence lines are nothing but weeds and the cattle don't graze them any more....

I could see where that might be a big plus. Bare ground under a fenceline won't attract cattle, and they won't be pushing on the fence.
Remedy and diesel will kill pretty much any weed that pops up afterwards.
Now if I could just get my neighbor (Uncle Sam) to agree to that I'd be in good shape.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

for those of you that spray....I hope you are using something to just kill the weeds and not bother the grass....my neighbor sprayed his fences with a broad spectrum herbicide and now the fence lines are nothing but weeds and the cattle don't graze them any more....

I could see where that might be a big plus. Bare ground under a fenceline won't attract cattle, and they won't be pushing on the fence.
Remedy and diesel will kill pretty much any weed that pops up afterwards.
Now if I could just get my neighbor (Uncle Sam) to agree to that I'd be in good shape.

I like to keep a 2 foot band of death and waste land under my fences. :lol:

 

[skyhightree1]

This is what looks like under my fence lines normally

 

[chorewife]

Skyhigh, May I ask why your using those type of post, rather then creosote post or hedge? I've just never seen that done.

 

[skyhightree1]

Skyhigh, May I ask why your using those type of post, rather then creosote post or hedge? I've just never seen that done.

chorewife they are just 4x4x6 treated posts I had bought 7 bundles for a job I had done and had them left over and instead of buying regular fence posts I used what I already had on hand.