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Thread: Bananna plants

  1. #1
    Member irishjim's Avatar
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    Default Bananna plants

    Hi all,I've got a job to chop a clump of about 10 bananna trees.they are around 4m tall.just wondering if I use the Chainsaw will it bugger the chain as they are so full of water.is it better to just use a handsaw or something similar?obviously would take a lot longer but this job can be done in winter when I'm not busy...

  2. #2
    Senior Member troppo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    Forget the chainsaw and wear your oldest clothes 'cause they stain like you would not believe!!!!!! Buy a machete, cheap and fast, that's what the narnie farmers use. Hope you're strong as they are heavy. That's something else to consider (the weight) if you have to go over a weigh bridge if disposing of as well. I hate 'em and charge accordingly.

  3. #3
    Senior Member troppo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    Oh, and if disposal is a problem for whatever reason, they do break down real fast. Just gotta let 'em dry out.

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    Member brodie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    No reason you can't use a chainsaw. It's not going to dull the chain but it may block up the side plate around the sprocket. They are messy and tend to have a small that stays with you for a while.

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    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    Troppo is right. Big sharp machette does the trick
    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  6. #6
    Member Mick's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    If you can find one, a Cane Knife! Its a machete but thinner steel and will slice through easier. A mate of mines dad can attest to that when he almost cut his own leg off! lol. Well, not really but it left a frickin big scar! He was a banana farmer!
    They are a great general cutting tool actually. We used to have them for when laying turf, leaves a nice clean cut when cutting in etc.
    One side has a little bit jutting out. You can shape that into a hook for picking up turf off cuts etc.

    http://www.shanleyknives.com.au/prod...-short-handle/

  7. #7
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    yep I agree, when in rome do as the romans do. I used to have a sickle type hand held knife that I picked up for a 5 bucks but it busted in half while hitting some bamboo. That knife was great for cutting flax. I had it so sharp I was showing off to the kids by trimming the front hedge with it, unfortunately kids are really hard to impress these days. Something like this http://www.forestrytools.com.au/index.php?id=933

  8. #8
    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    Mick I reckon you would be going to find a quality cane knife now. Like this one http://www.qhatlas.com.au/resource/cane-knife
    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  9. #9
    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  10. #10
    Member Mick's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    Quote Originally Posted by Bluey View Post
    I havent seen one in a shop for years and is why I said, "if you can find one..." LOL Quick Google found them so yep, they're still around!

    I remember using one years ago that was owned by an old guy. That knife was so bloody sharp it would not only take hair off your arm but the first 7 layers of skin as well. Thing is, it was really old and rusty but where he'd sharpen it was unbelievably sharp! He was the one who told me about making the protruding bit into a hook. That old guy was a local legend. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Griffiths

  11. #11
    Senior Member troppo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    I would still go for a machete as they are a lot more versatile in our line of work. Cane knife can only handle soft/light stuff whereas a machete can handle a lot heavier stuff like shrub branches. Use mine to quickly chop up shrubs/palm fronds before throwing in the ute so it packs better and you'd be surprised how handy they are, especially if you can get a heavy duty one. Chainsaw on a banana tree? Might try that one day for a laugh and see how long it takes to unclog around the drive sprocket.

  12. #12
    Member Mick's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    Quote Originally Posted by troppo View Post
    I would still go for a machete as they are a lot more versatile in our line of work. Cane knife can only handle soft/light stuff whereas a machete can handle a lot heavier stuff like shrub branches. Use mine to quickly chop up shrubs/palm fronds before throwing in the ute so it packs better and you'd be surprised how handy they are, especially if you can get a heavy duty one. Chainsaw on a banana tree? Might try that one day for a laugh and see how long it takes to unclog around the drive sprocket.
    I agree that a machete is more versatile, I have a machete on my ztr for low branches etc.
    Cane knife is the right tool for this job and is also great for when laying turf! Way better than a machete for cutting turf!

  13. #13
    MEMBER Fred's mowing's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    Quote Originally Posted by brodie View Post
    No reason you can't use a chainsaw. It's not going to dull the chain but it may block up the side plate around the sprocket. They are messy and tend to have a small that stays with you for a while.
    Im with brodie, although it all depends on the size of your banana
    A machete might be alright for smaller ones but if the trunk is of a bigger diameter a chainsaw is the way to go.
    It will cut through like a hot knife through butter & although you will need to clean out behind the sprocket cover at the end of the job, its just mush in there so no probs for the saw.
    You can cut the trunk into rounds then if there too big too handle, easily split them with an axe whilst they sit on the stump.
    Yes, its a messy job with all the water, but its easy & I don't remember any smell.
    The tree filled a good portion of the tray, & as you can see looking at the back left hand corner, the rounds were 18", proly a bit big for a machete.
    Cheers Fred.


    2014-01-10 14.39.39.jpg

  14. #14
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    I know this is not a banana related question, but does anyone have tips and techniques for removing blackberies in a garden situation. What I had to do today was cut them at the base and pull them through the shrubs they were tangled in. Took ages. Where they where sprayable i left them in tact and sprayed but I'll have to go back and respray once the ones I have cut start throwing out leaves again. Loading it on to the ute was tricky, ended up dragging it all to the ute with a rake type tool. It had to be done in slow motion because of the thorns.

  15. #15
    Senior Member seliment's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bananna plants

    Quote Originally Posted by steveo View Post
    I know this is not a banana related question, but does anyone have tips and techniques for removing blackberies in a garden situation. What I had to do today was cut them at the base and pull them through the shrubs they were tangled in. Took ages. .
    Yes, I understand the problem having dealt with many on our property that were growing up through rhododendrons, camellias etc.
    Yes they are prickly to cut and pull out ..
    We would often get to their base and cut them off at about 10-20cm above ground, dab (with dabber bottle ie. The shoepolish bottle with foam tip that we can get from our council ) with straight glyphosate. Extract the cut canes with heavy gloves and dispose. Not the most pleasant of jobs.
    Alternative is to poison in place and get rid of the canes when they are dead/dry or just leave them to disintegrate in situ which will take a year or so.
    This method involves using either Starane or Garlon herbicide that is mixed with DIESEL (following the herbicides instruction for Basal Application Method).
    You then paint / brush or dribble the mix onto the uncut stems, preferably near the base (only needs a band of a couple of cm) and the chemical is absorbed through the bark.
    Although these chemicals are non selective on garden plants, the application is very targeted and the risk of taking out desirable plants is minimal. Using this method I have poisoned blackberries that are completely entwined through rhododendrons (with blackberry roots near trunk of rhodo) with NO off target damage.
    I apply mix with a paintbrush or an old Duck (loo cleaner) bottle to trickle a ml or so onto each major stem.
    You will start to see effects in 24 hrs, but blackberries must be in non dormant phase.

    Joe.

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