Have a 40 ft high bald cypress and "knees" have been popping up as far as 50 feet from the tree. Probably 30 to 40 knees varying in size from 3" to 6" or so. For years I have been running over them with the riding lawnmower to they are flat and pretty grass level after I cut.

A few weeks ago the riding lawnmower caught one just right and it somehow popped the knee off. Got an axe out and removed a couple more but they didn't pop off in one piece, more like 20 pieces. Not that tough but making a bit of mess.

Anyone have experience with this stuff and could recommend a good or better way to remove the knees? This stuff is getting out of hand so I am going to take care of it while it is colder weather. Thanks in advance.

This post was edited on 11/8/19 at 12:16 pm

6 ...

Report Post

Posted by keakar

Member since Jan 2017

29815 posts

Posted on 11/8/19 at 12:34 pm to Tridentds

dont fight it, you wont win.

rent a stump grinder and go at it, in one day you will have the whole yard clean and knee free below ground level.

in about 5 years it will be time to repeat the process.

if you try cutting them its gonna take a hell of a lot of work and not come out as good

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by Aristo

Colorado

Member since Jan 2007

13292 posts

Posted on 11/8/19 at 12:50 pm to Tridentds

About once a year I cut them all below blade level with a reciprocating saw or chain saw.

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by Tridentds

Sugar Land

Member since Aug 2011

20281 posts

Posted on 11/8/19 at 1:04 pm to Aristo

Okay I hadn't really considered a reciprocating saw. Blades are cheap. May do this on a few of them close to the sidewalk

I'm thinking the stump grinder suggestion above is probably the way to go if I want to do them all.

Appreciate both suggestions.

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by jmon

Mandeville, LA

Member since Oct 2010

8396 posts

Posted on 11/8/19 at 1:11 pm to Tridentds

One of these:

And these:

Profit!

Seriously though, one good chop on each side where the root comes in and exits, then hit with the blunt end of axe on the side, should pull right out.

This post was edited on 11/8/19 at 1:14 pm

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by CrawDude

Baton Rouge

Member since Apr 2019

5262 posts

Posted on 11/8/19 at 1:47 pm to Tridentds

I have a cypress the same size and I pretty do what you do and what others have suggested. The recip saw is a good idea I haven’t tried. Chainsaw though good will dull the cutting surface of the chain in minutes If you cut into soil, and I, for the life of me, can not re-sharpen a chain worth a crap.

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by Aristo

Colorado

Member since Jan 2007

13292 posts

Posted on 11/8/19 at 3:57 pm to Tridentds

My next house will not have cypress haha

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by denhamtiger

Denham Springs

Member since Jan 2014

659 posts

Posted on 11/8/19 at 5:10 pm to Tridentds

Get you a sawzall and go to town removed quite a few like that

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by fishfighter

RIP

Member since Apr 2008

40026 posts

Posted on 11/9/19 at 7:40 am to denhamtiger

Google "Debarker for a chainsaw" It's a tool that hooks on the end of a chainsaw that removes bark from logs.

LINK

This post was edited on 11/9/19 at 8:58 am

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by biglego

Ask your mom where I been

Member since Nov 2007

76108 posts

Posted on 11/10/19 at 4:45 pm to Tridentds

I removed about 15 from my yard with a shovel and axe. I enjoyed doing it and it solved the problem until I moved three years later. So I’m sure they come back, but not that quickly.

Page 1