Gorse on steep sloping site

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fishandchips

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Hi all, part of our garden is a very steep slope which has now become very overgrown with established Gorse bushes, access for heavy machinary is difficult (but an option if there is no other way i guess) does anyone know how to get rid of these plants, is there a chemical solution, burning the cursed stuff is certainly not an option due to proximety to the house. thanks in advance
 
We have the same (house further away, though). We've tried a variety of ways over the years: best combination is (1) cut or grub out existing tall bushes (the machine may have to make its own paths by cut-and-fill but it's worth it), (2) if you cut in step one then treat stumps with stumpkiller and the rest with brushwood killer. If you grubbed out (we did) then burn if you can. (3) wait for new growth (there'll be lots) and spray with a herbicide when it's <30cm high. You may have to do this a few times.

Alternatively use goats at step 3 (we also did this) though you have to fence them in to make them eat the gorse and you need quite a lot. Move them occasionally to vary their diet and prevent disease. Goats don't like clover so other plants will get off to a good start. Don't leave the ground bare - plant something else (we planted trees and mulched but we are still dealing with some gorse sprouting after seventeen years!

As a salutary lesson, our neighbour (a farmer so he should know better) grubbed everything out, didn't spray and left his land bare - in six months he had four times the density of gorse: absolutely solid. Now that field is unusable.

Best of luck with it.
 
I think if you spray Grazon 90 an agricultural herbicide it will kill the gorse.
Agricultural supply shops should advise further.
 
pardon my obvious ignorance (city reared lol) but what does "grub out"(as suggested by Alistersc )mean, will grazon 90 as suggested by Delber kill established several year old gorse. Thanks to all who replied
 
As AlastairSC indicated gorse is almost an endless problem.
I also had it on a steep sloping site and a farmer advised me that if I wanted to have a gorse free site afterwards I would likely need to replace the topsoil after clearing the heavy bushes.
The problem is that gorse buds pop out (literally) hundreds of seeds which end up in the ground again, which is also why the stuff spreads so rapidly.
I didn't completely change the topsoil, but did remove the first 4 inches or so.
4 years later with site developed and I have still have minor problems with gorse sprouting up around the place.
 
I have used a mix of Roundup, Garlon 2 and cimizine on gorse and other similiar types of bushes before and it killed everything. You would have to cut out the timber stalks and roots after though.
 
Again thanks to all, Builder Ed your suggestion interests me as a means of control could you tell me what ratio /mix you suggest for these three chemicals, i would like to see the gorse dieing while the person spraying it lives on lol
 
hi all,

if you don't want to use chemicals.... would repeated cutting back before going to seed eventually kill gorse? even if it takes years?
 
Dont know the mix fishandchips. There are recommended mixes on the back of the containers for different applications. Just add another drop for good measure!
 
Thanks to all who assisted, i think i will go with builder eds suggestions, will let you know how i get on in time, his suggestons seem to gel with what local farmers have told me ie that you have to use a mix of weedkillers not just one
 
Glyphosate is the stuff to use, but you need to apply it to the stump as soon as you can after you cut the Gorse because it will develop a protective skin to protect itself.
 
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