Tag Alder Eradication

[Snowshoe Acres]

I have a big challenge with clearing tag alder. They grow in clumps of 5-6, sometimes getting as large as 4-5 inches, making them too big for the brush cutter and too numerous for a chain saw, mostly because of clean up. I am considering an experiment with round up. Since they spread by the roots I am going to try drilling a hole in the largest branch (downward), then injecting concentrated roundup into the hole. My theory is it should kill the entire clump, roots included. Then when I cut it down, or push it over with the FEL, it will not grow back. Any thoughts or experience with this? Anybody have a better method? I have a LOT of tag alder!

 

[homerj1]

Basal spraying with herbicide and diesel?

 

[SD51555]

Tag is the dominant tree on my property. It is the biggest target I have when I’m out with the saw. I wouldn’t kill them though. They can be useful if you look at it from a different perspective.

First, I cut every one where I’m working. None are spared. The reason I use the saw is to put them on the ground and use them as clutter to protect dogwood and other desirables I’m releasing.

Two, a pile of them makes great ground cover for a season.

Three, they sucker exceptionally well, making a great and fast addition to stem count and ground cover.

Four, when those suckers outgrow their usefulness, they are zapped with one pull of the silky. Very easy to clean them up and either start them over, or they’ll die. Either way, win win.

Five, no matter how big, they are dust after about 4 years. No cleanup necessary. This spot was solid tag in 2016. This is what it looked like 3 years later. Tags gone, brush rotted away gone, and it’s packed with browse and other good trees and shrubs.

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[AtomApple]

I dont know how well your drill hole will work. Probably best to cut or girdle and spray or brush the cambium layer.

 

[Tree Spud]

I have a big challenge with clearing tag alder. They grow in clumps of 5-6, sometimes getting as large as 4-5 inches, making them too big for the brush cutter and too numerous for a chain saw, mostly because of clean up. I am considering an experiment with round up. Since they spread by the roots I am going to try drilling a hole in the largest branch (downward), then injecting concentrated roundup into the hole. My theory is it should kill the entire clump, roots included. Then when I cut it down, or push it over with the FEL, it will not grow back. Any thoughts or experience with this? Anybody have a better method? I have a LOT of tag alder!

Only the outer very thin cambrium layer of the tree will transport herbicide. You may only kill a section of the tag by drilling.

Better approach would be basal treatment. I use a cleaned out soap detergent bottle with 1 part Garlon4 (triclopyr) with 3 parts diesel. Then squirt on stems at the root cluster. The diesel acts as a penetrant.

 

[swampbuck]

Bumping this back up. Im starting to cut back tag alder on my property. How frequently are folks cutting it back afterwards? I have about 15 acres of it and don't plan on shearing but will select different areas each year to reset. Some of the tags are pretty manageable with a brush cutter...some are pretty big for tags and going to need a chainsaw or handsaw

 

[SD51555]

Bumping this back up. Im starting to cut back tag alder on my property. How frequently are folks cutting it back afterwards? I have about 15 acres of it and don't plan on shearing but will select different areas each year to reset. Some of the tags are pretty manageable with a brush cutter...some are pretty big for tags and going to need a chainsaw or handsaw

For me, depends on what my plans are for a spot. Some spots:

1. Keep it down to get slough grass full fun and up ground cover.
2. Release highly competitive trees like oak, fir, spruce, pine, basswood, maple, birch, viburnum. Those that will likely be fine with one release.
3. Release low competitive shrubs and forbs like ROD, beaked hazel, gooseberry, jewelweed.

If I'm working on those ideas:

1. I'll whack it again when the grass weakens.
2. Probably won't whack it again until I see the good stuff getting behind.
3. I will whack it every year.

It's easy to stay ahead if you do it every year. I do 1-2 year regrowth with my hands in the winter. I just snap them right off.

 

[swampbuck]

Cool. So in my instance I don't mind the cover from the tags but I have a lot of ROD mixed in. I was thinking about keeping it up in some areas annually just to keep it under control and the fresh growth is way easier to deal with compared to when they are 10-15' tall

 

[Tangler]

Cool discussion! Is Tag Alder the same as speckled Alder? I have a bunch of that and plan on cutting some and letting it stump sprout. It is a native and apparently deer will eat it so I don’t know that I want to totally get rid of all of it. Anyway, sees like a decent native but I don’t want to have tons of it shade out everything but it can probably provide food & cover.

 

[SD51555]

Cool. So in my instance I don't mind the cover from the tags but I have a lot of ROD mixed in. I was thinking about keeping it up in some areas annually just to keep it under control and the fresh growth is way easier to deal with compared to when they are 10-15' tall

You are in the chips then! Here's what you do.

Go find your ROD. Cut down all the tag alder around it. Take all the brush you just made and stack it high around your ROD, high as you can get it, because it will settle 50% in the first year, and then 25% and 25%, and in year 4 it's pretty much gone. That is bullet proof for fast ROD advancement and puts all your slash to good use. Then come back each year and hand snap all the tag regrowth that would eventually shade it out.

I've got ROD 7-8' tall and now too thick to browse. What's even more durable is ash tops. Those will last longer, and you don't need as much brush to keep the deer off. My absolute best bush is still growing out of a pile of ash logs I threw in the feature about 7 years ago. Those logs are still jenga stacked and keeping the deer out. Those ROD bushes have been turning out tons of seed every year to continue to colonize the area.

There's never just 1 ROD stem in the wild either. Look for the spots that have a bunch of ROD twigs. Then just get busy whackin and stacking everything you can get your hands on to make a super barrier to keep the deer out. That ROD will explode in growth in one growing season, and it doesn't need money, mulch, or weed mats. It just needs a chance.

 

[Tangler]

You are in the chips then! Here's what you do.

Go find your ROD. Cut down all the tag alder around it. Take all the brush you just made and stack it high around your ROD, high as you can get it, because it will settle 50% in the first year, and then 25% and 25%, and in year 4 it's pretty much gone. That is bullet proof for fast ROD advancement and puts all your slash to good use. Then come back each year and hand snap all the tag regrowth that would eventually shade it out.

I've got ROD 7-8' tall and now too thick to browse. What's even more durable is ash tops. Those will last longer, and you don't need as much brush to keep the deer off. My absolute best bush is still growing out of a pile of ash logs I threw in the feature about 7 years ago. Those logs are still jenga stacked and keeping the deer out. Those ROD bushes have been turning out tons of seed every year to continue to colonize the area.

There's never just 1 ROD stem in the wild either. Look for the spots that have a bunch of ROD twigs. Then just get busy whackin and stacking everything you can get your hands on to make a super barrier to keep the deer out. That ROD will explode in growth in one growing season, and it doesn't need money, mulch, or weed mats. It just needs a chance.

Dumb question: what is ROD?
Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)?

 

[SD51555]

Dumb question: what is ROD?
Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)?

Yes


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[swampbuck]

You are in the chips then! Here's what you do.

Go find your ROD. Cut down all the tag alder around it. Take all the brush you just made and stack it high around your ROD, high as you can get it, because it will settle 50% in the first year, and then 25% and 25%, and in year 4 it's pretty much gone. That is bullet proof for fast ROD advancement and puts all your slash to good use. Then come back each year and hand snap all the tag regrowth that would eventually shade it out.

I've got ROD 7-8' tall and now too thick to browse. What's even more durable is ash tops. Those will last longer, and you don't need as much brush to keep the deer off. My absolute best bush is still growing out of a pile of ash logs I threw in the feature about 7 years ago. Those logs are still jenga stacked and keeping the deer out. Those ROD bushes have been turning out tons of seed every year to continue to colonize the area.

There's never just 1 ROD stem in the wild either. Look for the spots that have a bunch of ROD twigs. Then just get busy whackin and stacking everything you can get your hands on to make a super barrier to keep the deer out. That ROD will explode in growth in one growing season, and it doesn't need money, mulch, or weed mats. It just needs a chance.

I have seen similar reactions to ash on my place. I didn't realize it would stump sprout like it did but the deer have hammered it.

 

[SD51555]

I have seen similar reactions to ash on my place. I didn't realize it would stump sprout like it did but the deer have hammered it.

Ash really is the perfect full circle tree. Take one down and harvest the firewood, use the tops for exclusion, and leave the stumps for browse, then cover, then repeat in 20 years.


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