How to Cut Tall Weeds and Invasive Pond Grasses the OLD way with a Scythe! Phragmites australis
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- Опубликовано: 27 авг 2024
- The scythe is a natural physical way to control weeds and invasive grass species in your pond or on your property. NON-Chemical, which is very important when working in water that supports Water Lily plants and others you don't want to kill.
Using a scythe is great exercise actually and remarkably easy once you understand the correct sweeping motion. Put those old tools back into service, it feels good using something that your Great Grandfather was very familiar with.
Cut tall grasses and weeds without using gas or making small engine noise that may irritate your neighbors.
Learn More about this INVASIVE GRASS: en.wikipedia.o...
Here is a link to scythe blades on Amazon... not a promotion, just a helpful link for those searching for this tool. Thanks! www.amazon.com... 
Животные
I’m so glad you didn’t speed up the process. So fun and informative to watch how you did it! Thanks for doing video!
I still love the novelty of simply carrying my scythe out and clearing patches of weeds. My technique has also much improved. Thank you for taking a moment to comment. This pond is also well under control now.
When I was 14 my older cousin put me and a friend to work clearing a half acre of 8-12 foot tall tangle of Himalayan blackberries. We undercut them with the wheat scythes then we rolled them into a “tube” with pitchforks which we then used to lay the bundle over a pickup truck from bumper to bumper. Then we trimmed the overhang off the cab and strapped the bundle to the truck and hauled it to the landfill one load at a time. I learned a lot. I especially learned that I never wanted to do that job ever again.
Legend has it he's lost in the deep brush still cutting !
I'm headed to Harbor Freight to buy one for my wife's birthday.
I inherited all the old Spanish tools when I bought my property. They have lovely old wooden handles and perfect for the harsh terrain. Great video, thanks.
This guy has a lot of energy!
Excellent work! I too just picked one up for cutting down massive amounts of weeds at my house and it works so well I even helped out some friends with their pond just for fun. It's like having a massive sword, something satisfyingly medieval about it.
It's definitely something that you begin to look forward to!
Nice work. Over here in California we just hired JOSESITO and he took care of it. Took him three days. With picking it up Al clean up. Loved it
We just bought a nice old homestead in MN. we have a marsh in the back that when we moved in had 10 foot grasses and cat tails. I cut a section out and found out it was about 6'. now im going to go get a scythe. Thank You.
This year, I put on scuba gear and cut it all at the bottom of the pond. We have it under control... for now....
Just bought a scythe and some chest waders to clear the brush and vegetation in my pond. Thanks for this video!
This year I put on scuba gear and went to the bottom and cut them at the roots. I'm gradually winning.
SIDE NOTE: Don't take your goats with you while scything weeds... they just get in the way... let them forage the cuttings later on. AND, I found new scythe blades on Amazon, so if you're looking for the newer versions (metal or wood handled) here is a link for you, they have lengths for brush and grass specifically... who knew? www.amazon.com/Seymour-2B-42W26-26-Inch-American-Pattern/dp/B00002N8OM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469713768&sr=8-1&keywords=scythe+blade
Thanks! Very helpful!!!
I wish I had read this before I let my goats out - biggest mess I've ever had to clean up!
I used a scythe lot on my parents yard when I was a kid. I've recently been using one again. I love the swinging rythm of it.
I'm a 72 year old female & I bought a new one since I didn't find a used one.
I would have loved to see a video of the whole process. It's relaxing to watch, and it helps me sleep
Next time!
@@FrederickDunn Awesome Sir!
Dude I can relate to that 🌄
Yes. I am watching you so I can learn to do it myself.
I have a sickle and love it! Just invested in a scythe and learning about it now. Waiting to receive my first one!
It's a great exercise also :) I also recommend getting a wet stone holder for your belt.
If I heard somebody yell the word "SCYTHE!" I'd stop and watch what was about to go down. Thank you for demonstrating to this world the very emblematic and auspicious tool known to every agriculturalist two hundred years ago.
Today this tool is usually only ever recognized as the implement carried by the very nature of Death itself. Not long ago this humble tool was used to harvest grains and cereals the world over.
A spooky representation of noble tool that assisted in the agricultural evolution of the Homo Sapiens species.
Used to be all we had for weeds was scythe's, sickle's & kneeling down with grass shears before Weedeater came out with gas trimmers. People today complaining about hard starting trimmers really have no idea how good they truly have it made but
I remember using these, oh' man do I ever...lol I still have a few around here.
hard work , i have one made in italy and a battery strimmer use both hard work
The rip start is killer on the arms compared to the manual tools.
I just bought an Austrian Scythe with a grass blade and a bush blade. We use the bush blade for our native landscape. It works like a charm.
Nice!
Love the treadmill comment. Thanks for the video. It really helped.
You look a bit like when I learned to use a scythe, but I was a teenager then... "Hacking the ground.." as my father would say, curse me, and sharpen the scythe.. But you are spot on, it's an awesome tool for smaller areas that's hard to cut otherwise, and you just need to cut often with it to get smooth enough even when cutting a lawn...
I had been looking for one of these for awhile. I live along the Ohio River and am sick of fighting with weed eaters especially when the weeds by the water get out of hand (which is easy). Picked one up looks just like the one in the video at the Milton WV flea market for $30. Sharpened it and it works great. Was several others for sale at various shops but that one seems to be in the best shape. So if your looking for one check your local flea markets.
That's great advice, thanks for sharing!
Its 2020 now... I heard he's finally wrapping it up... 👀
I resorted to scuba gear and sawing them off at the roots.... (';')
Lol... 😆
😆🤣
Lmao
nice lawn!
I'm thinking of getting one now just for the intimidation factor on a Saturday morning. Hi, and yes, I'm whacking 6" tall weeds with this scythe.
Ha ha.... well.. I am... the "REAPER" after all... you'll probably have fewer door to door sales :)
LOL I was thinking it was great just because it's quiet and doesn't require grass, but you are so on point with the awesome factor.
6 years later .. Hes still at it every sunday morning
and I have abs of steel now (';')... takes the fat right off!
@@FrederickDunn😂😂😂
Legend has it, he's still at it lol!
Baryonyx Knife company sells the Seymour products. They have a section on scythes and snaths. Sythe Supply also deals with this.
Yeah, they are great, and feel good using too! My dad had one, I wonder what ever happened to it. Thanks for the video.
Time to go find it! I have several now hanging from my garage ceiling. It's great exercise, and you can become remarkably accurate when cutting grass right up next to foundations etc.
you remind me of a man on his farm harvesting his hemp in the WWII propaganda film entitled "Hemp For Victory". Those weeds resemble hemp on video and you swinging that thing has nostalgia written all over it. My pelvis and back would be destroyed after doing this all day.
It's 2018 but something tells me he's still cutting.
I am, and it's great exercise :)
@@FrederickDunn Now that we're back to the season of weeds (almost done but still growing), any more scything videos?
@@billmcyrus My techniques don't compare with the true experts on scything, so though I still enjoy doing it, I don't make videos about it. :)
that looks wonderful!
Fantastic video, really informative. Thanks!
14 feet deep, holy cow, that's awesome.
Hell of a work out too!
scything is definitely a very good workout and I've purchased better scythes since this video and I can trim even areas of the lawn very short, once you get the movement and angle down pat, it's pretty easy.
That's an American style scythe. DO NOT peen that type of blade. It's harder steel, more like a knife blade. Some are even laminated with hard steel in the center. They need to have a very thin edge, best is concave with a fine grinding stone and maintained with a canoe style sharpening stone that had the curve that mimics a large diameter wheel.
The European or Austrian style blades need to be peened and honed.
Thank you
You're welcome :)
That's exactly why I'm here! Lol
That’s kind of labor intensive and back breaking, you got something from Honda?
Nice thank you
Welcome
This satisfying to watch
Thank you Britt!
Thanks
Welcome
I'm surprised these don't hang from a strap or holster of sort. I guess people used to be stronger and didn't mind holding that weight at arms length.
You did some great work, but, the only way to remove this invasive plant is to pull it all out. The 14' depth may be a problem. We had to use a boat on my friends pond in order remove all his. Yours will be back plus more. Nice scythe, I have 5 of this awesome tools.
ok that's bad news, thanks for sharing
My buddies weeds were easy to pull, it was just the depth of the pond in some areas. we were wearing chest waders.
Nah. You can kill them with a standardized cutting regime, just have to stick to it. Just keep cutting every two weeks. If you prevent seeding, that's one stage, but you also force the rizome to expend energy constructing new leaves then cut it before they can recoup the energy it took to make them. They'll eventually be so starved of carbohydrate that it can't create new material and fight of infection, and they eventually succumb. I cleared out a long neglected field of some crazy long grass by just cutting it every 8 days rain or shine, no excuses. This after trying for years with burning, deep mulching, smothering with various types of sheet mulching membranes, digging, and tiling to no avail. Sometimes you just have to exhaust the rizome. A season of merciless cutting followed by a crisp winter left it so weak and thin that other stuff could compete again and that was that done.
theres no way to remove these grasses i guess , there roots are probably 6feet deep , we did use tractor and dug few feet til it , still its roots are very deep and have network below , it grows from its roots again , even it goes thru plastic like nails , walls or concrete some times , this grass can grow without light too , its runners are underground spread everywhere growing underground , i think only way is to make it weak and keep it dry or plant trees , its drought and salinity tolerant too lol monster. i have observed what maxdecphoenix is saying , it is possible but it will grow back when it rains , still i believe u cant win this grass unless u plan to dig 6 feet deep and keep the area dry out of use for year or 2 then start all over again . what is the name of this grass ? i was also looking for any trick to getrid , but cant find .
first time viewer, have the same problem this is a never ending problem I use clippers and all the hand tools that I can find Do not do like I do get one of them small handle ones wasted $18.00
Thanks for sharing and welcome to my channel! They are now waaaay down in my pond, but continual culling out is necessary.
Great
This is perfect..
AND it's good for your health :)
I would definitely get a left handed swinger even though I am right handed just makes sense as to not have to cut over the fallen stocks or under them as to where you can cut left to right so all falls to the right . Maybe me just overthinking it . Still great video
I think the mechanics of the movement are the same left or right.. I have vastly improved my technique since I made this video and also have better psythes.
and if your are going to cut much in the water you may want to get an aluminum snath like i have. It will not rot but you will want to dry and oil the steal blade attachment hardware after use though.
I have that now, thanks for the tip
i like the sound of it
also i dont think you need to put much force into it
I have a new one now and have vastly improved my technique, it's easy and yes, pretty darn effortless.
@@FrederickDunn gg
Allegedly, peening will ruin an American-pattern scythe blade.
Try an extended reach articulating hedge trimmer
We live in Hawaii - big island. Cane grass is huge and we want to try this process you did ! Where do we get that long wooden type? We can't find it anywhere!
The new versions have aluminum handles and they are great!
you have an american sythe. dont peen your blade. use a file and stone. and if it is only as sharp as a knife its dull. use a wet stone to hone out in the field.
thanks
I came here to comment this. The American style blades ( 'style' because they're not manufactured in the states since the 50s. Austria is the only country which manufactures "American" blades) are made of a much higher carbon content steel than European blades. You try to peen an American scythe you're like to fracture it.
I actually compete in mowing competition at the green scythe fair
@@kyledurgan3027 weird flex but ok
I can't wait to get me a Scythe. The only thing about those grasses you were cutting, if you don't get it from the root, they will just keep growing and creeping further into your pond. I wonder how you would be able to get at the root?
It's actually the opposite Jan, as I've continued to cut them low, they are gradually receding, but it's a huge amount of work.
Frederick Dunn I wish I had the same experience. I had to get a pickax to get rid of them. But then again, they weren’t submerged in water. Maybe that was the issue for me?
I went out on the ice in winter and cut them all down to water/ice level for the new year, soooo, I kind of cheated :)
After you have cut everything down how do you get rid of the debris? Where I live we're not allowed to just throw it in the trash/dumpster. Thank you!
my goats eat it.
Looks less stressful on the back than using a machete or sickle.
It's great exercise. :)
let's see your pond after all these cutting
that would be very boring
check out European Scythe with a Falci or Gunas blade
I learned the American blades are tempered harder than the European blades, I chipped my American blade trying to peen it. It works good but have ordered an Austrian blade and snath rings to build my own Eastern European style.
ha ha yep thats why im watching you lmao
The Amish (and others) could put you in touch with a blacksmith who would pound one out for you
I have since bought new ones with better blades... very nice and I really enjoy it!
Hi Frederick Dunn
I am doing some research for Phramites. Can you please help me where I find them. Where did you record this video? Thank you so
Much
Phragmites grasses, specifically the invasive European variety (Phragmites australis subsp. australis), are spreading most aggressively in the following areas of the United States:
East Coast: This region has seen the longest establishment time for the invasive Phragmites, dating back to the late 18th or early 19th centuries. It is now well-established throughout the Atlantic coast, from Maine to Florida.
Great Lakes Region: With its vast network of interconnected waterways, the Great Lakes region has provided a fertile ground for the spread of Phragmites. It is particularly problematic along the shorelines of lakes Erie, Ontario, Michigan, and Huron.
West Coast: While not yet as widespread as in the East and Midwest, Phragmites is gaining a foothold along the West Coast, particularly in California and Oregon. Concerns exist about its potential impact on sensitive coastal ecosystems.
Inland Wetlands: Beyond coastal areas, Phragmites is also expanding its range into inland wetlands, including marshes, swamps, and riparian zones. This spread is facilitated by factors like human-caused disturbances, nutrient pollution, and changes in water levels.
you have to wait to freeze the water and then use a 1-meter tail sickle
Thanks, good idea and I actually did that last winter :)
im not sure thats phragmites australis, its phragmites yes, the phragmites australis i have here on my country are thicker and very hard, but they are not growing on water must be that.
There is some debate about whether the North American variety of Phragmites australis should be considered a separate species, Phragmites americanus. Generally, they are considered the same species.
Anyone know what that tall invasive grass is called? I have that in my backyard too
I put a link in the video description for you :)
@@FrederickDunn well so you did, my bad, thanks for replying! I have this stuff growing in the back of my yard but i dont have a water source really, maybe a little wet.. its weird. definitely hard to get rid of!
I think I'll just use a brush cutter.
So what happens to all the cuttings?
burn pile
Could you just take the scything out and just let the goats eat it (before cutting)?
For some reason, my goats have never been interested in this grass.
Ok... Now how to add pegs for. Leftys
Would a machete would also work?
Not so well... you end up with sharp remains with a machete...
Nice (:
thanks!
good goat paddock.
That's a good idea, but my goats won't walk into water.
I’m going to cut that grass down for a fresh start.
I hope it all goes well for you. I ended up having to dig the roots out.
Needs emission controls.
Just adding a not, you do not need to peen American scythes, only European ones because they are thinner, sharpening with stones or a grinder works best.
And no need to add water to your wet stone. ;-)
How well did it work on the Moccasins?
No water snakes are ever harmed by me...
I would never hurt a water snake (or any nonvenomous snake).
But I will kill a moccasin (or any venomous snake) near My family or livestock.
I was scything one morning last year and i cut a frog clean in half. I don't target animals maliciously, partially why I got the scythe was I was tired of running over frogs and turtles, so if I see them I move them. I didn't see this one though. I had just stoned the blade too. Went through it like a samurai's blade.
these r not hard weed,i need solution of them
Looks like a trip to the ER... A chain saw won't work?
If you're prone to injuring yourself, this isn't your tool. However, if you want to burn calories while building abs and getting cardio in without burning fossil fuel it's fantastic!
Sell them to duck hunters for their blinds..
Great idea!
An old remedy to an old problem!
And some say hes still swinging.........🌾🐜🐌🐝🐙🍕🧀🍕🧀🍕🧀🍕🧀🍕🧀🍕🧀🍕🧀🍕🧀🍕🧀🧀🍕🧀🍕🍕🍖🍕🧀🍕🧀🍕🧀🍕🍕🍖🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍔🌮🍗🥙🍛🍜🍝🍣🍽
:)
Don't forget to oil it.
ok
Bet that back feels nice later...f that..
The back and abs felt great! :) Good exercise when you it right :)
SO SO MANY OF THE OLD WAYS HAVE BEEN LOST...Our predecessors were VERY smart,today,not so much
True, and if you do things like this, you can cancel your gym membership :) I've become a huge fan of scything since I made this video. Thanks for commenting.
You invaded nature snd you csll grass "invading"?
Yes, I do, I call this grass invasive. I'm an animal, I forage, I migrate, I reproduce just like other animals. By nature human animals find new territory to occupy. Invasive grasses displace native plants and distrupt eco systems. Yes, I call it invasive grass.
too much effort
I'm much better at it now :) :) :)
way to agressive, but for your first time its ok :) but that way you couldnt do this the whole day (and never the whole week) like i do
Thanks for commenting Frank... I'm definitely a novice at this and will surely improve as time passes. I'm also pretty sure my body fat will be reduced by this activity. I have yet to see a "heavy set" person using a scythe, so I'm sure you are fit and trim :)
its hard to explain to use the scythe "correctly" for me in "english" (since im from austria) but you need to "hack" less and "slide" more, try to form a "half circle" with it, on hard ground let the scythe hit the ground and dont lift it. :) you will love this tool !
Can I come fish your pond 😂
nope :)
Just go at night when he's asleep lol!
omg he talks
:)
chop that weed daddy
ok!
Buy some goats brother think smarter not harder
Thanks, goats don't wade into water to eat these grasses. But I appreciate the sentiment.
back breaking work and yall wanna build a wall, smh
No stress on the back, builds abs, great for cardio conditioning, if your technique is good you can do it for hours. Regarding "wanna build a wall" what are you talking about (';')( ';')?
1st world problems