This capital item involves the mechanised cutting and burning of rhododendron or, where the site is unsuitable for the mechanised or manual clearance of rhododendron, chemical treatment by stem injection.
Mechanised cutting:
If you use a flail for the mechanised cutting, ensure that it is designed to cut and mulch the rhododendron. Flails can be fitted on tracked excavators, walking excavators and tractor-mounted PTO drives. All rhododendron to be removed should be cut as low as possible to the ground to reduce the likelihood of re-growth. Alternatively a machine can be used to uproot the rhododendron.
The most efficient machine for raking is an excavator. The bucket can be used to heap cuttings for the fire and to ensure that all cut material is burnt.
The payment for this capital item covers not only the initial cutting and burning but also all subsequent work to ensure no re-growth from the flailed stools. You should treat any re-growth with herbicide while it is still small. A second application of herbicide may be required on some sites. By year 5, there must be no rhododendron present on the site.
Chemical treatment:
Where the site is unsuitable for the mechanised or manual clearance of rhododendron, you may kill off the rhododendron bush chemically by stem injection of herbicide.
The drill and injection method is best used in larger bushes where access to the stem is possible to allow drilling. The stem should be drilled below the last fork and as close to the main root system as possible to create a hole that will contain all the herbicide solution.
The payment for this capital item covers any follow up applications of herbicide or hand pulling of seedlings to ensure there are no successful regeneration from seed. By year 5, there must be no rhododendron present on the site.