Brush Killer Remedies

String Trimmer

• Brush clearance of semi-woody and soft-stemmed weeds is done mechanically with a string trimmer. It is a gas- or electric-powered, hand-held device that uses a monofiliment line to cut tall grass and weeds. The string trimmer consists of a cutting head attached to a long shaft with handles. The plastic line turns in a circular motion so fast that it acts as a cutting device. Large areas of brush are killed easily using this method and it does not require training or expertise. Electric string trimmers do not emit toxins. The EPA governs emissions standards for gas-powered trimmers.

Goats

• Goats ingest large areas of brush in a short time. Goat herds are rented for "target browsing" in areas that brush-killing bulldozers, and chipper/shredders cannot go. The goats are monitored for short periods of time within an allotted area. Using goats to control brush is nontoxic and not harmful to land or the environment. Their actions also aerate the land and work dead vegetation back into the soil. They provide free organic fertilizer and are quiet. Goats are used to get rid of underbrush on fire-prone California hills.

Sheet Mulching

• Sheet mulching clears brush completely from a large or small area by smothering plant growth. All weed growth is suppressed by layers of tightly overlapping cardboard covered with a layer of chipped wood. This method is an effective brush-killer remedy without destroying soil and the organisms that keep it healthy. Brush is first cut down at soil level by hand or string trimmer. Sheet mulch placed over the area in the fall kills brush and prepares the ground for planting in spring. Sheet mulch has the advantage of being biodegradable, adding to the organic matter and health of the soil.