Extend the Life of Your Fence by Controlling the Weeds Growing In and Around It

Fenceline vegetation control focuses on eliminating weeds, brush, vines, and non-desirable woody-stemmed plants growing along, in and around fencelines. Fencelines are difficult to maintain manually because vegetation often grows too close to posts, wire, fence rails, or gates for safe and effective mechanical control. Overgrown fencelines can create maintenance challenges, increase labor needs, reduce fence function, and shorten the life span of the fence.

The benefits of controlling vegetation growing in fencelines may surprise you if you haven’t considered it beyond the aesthetics. Controlling vegetation along fencelines protects the structure of the fence and in many cases prolongs the life of the fence. In controlling the vegetation, it helps to maintain the fence’s function. Persistent and tall growing weeds, vines and brush can impair visibility, access and the overall performance of the fence. Addressing the weed control issues along a fenceline earlier rather than later is more cost effective. It costs far less to treat short and sparse weeds than to treat taller, larger established infestations. If your fence is a border to any kind of crop or pasture setting, not managing the weeds along the fence can introduce weeds into these areas when they produce seeds and are spread by animals or the wind. In cases where you have invested in desirable plantings along your fenceline, weeds and brush can cause issues for these plantings by competing for moisture, nutrients, sunlight and growing space. Another reason to control unwanted vegetation along fences is that in commercial or municipal settings, clear fencelines are easier to inspect, maintain and repair.

There is a vegetation control process to help ensure that successful and long-term control of undesirable vegetation is achieved. This process begins by inspecting the fenceline regularly so small weed populations can be addressed before they become larger infestations. Positively identifying the weeds, vines, brush and woody-stemmed plants that are growing in and around the fenceline is crucial before selecting a treatment method. Once identified, understanding the plant life cycle and optimal timing of application is very important to help with the success of the treatment method to achieve maximum control of the vegetation. Selecting the right control method is an important part of the process and the chosen method must take into consideration the plant type and site conditions. The final part of this process that will help to ensure success is monitoring the effectiveness of the control measures used and adjusting for future treatments as needed.

There are several control options for managing the vegetation growing in and around fencelines. The predominate methods are mechanical control and chemical control. Depending on the plants that are growing in the fenceline, just using one type of vegetation control may not be enough nor the most cost effective.

Once the target plants have been identified, the most successful and effective control measure is by utilizing an integrated plant management approach (IPM). This control measure combines cultural, mechanical and chemical control methods. Using this approach allows for treatment methods to be adapted to the target plants and site conditions. Developing an IPM plan will help with protecting and promoting desirable vegetation and can reduce the available space where opportunistic weed seeds can germinate and grow. Having a customized management plan can lower treatment costs by improving control effectiveness.

Keys to the success of an integrated management plan (IPM) are early plant identification, prompt control and proper application timing. Early identification of the target plant or plants is a major key to the successful control of undesirable plants. Knowing the plant’s growth cycle and process is the key to proper timing of the control measures to achieve successful long-term vegetation control. Starting control measures early while the weed population is small makes it easier to manage than with larger, well established weed infestations. Knowledge of the target plants and their growth cycle is essential for knowing the optimal timing of control applications. Some plant species are better controlled in the fall when they are absorbing nutrients into their root systems for overwintering, whereas other species require treatment in the spring just as growth shoots are emerging from winter dormancy.

Mechanical control, meaning mowing with mowers, string trimmers, or hedgers is not an all-in-one solution. Mechanical equipment may not be able to reach the vegetation that is growing close to the fence, directly under the fence or growing in the fence. Cutting too close to the fence poses a risk of damaging the mowers, trimmers, cutting blades, fence posts, fence wire or the fence rails. Manual trimming is labor intensive and must often be repeated several times during a growing season. Utilizing only mechanical control measures may not be the most cost effective as many weeds and woody stemmed plants can re sprout after cutting, requiring multiple revisits. Also, some species of undesirable vegetation cannot be effectively controlled by only mechanical methods, and only using mechanical methods may cause them to spread. Knowing your target plants and the best control methods to employ are the mark of a knowledgeable and skilled vegetation control company.

Chemical vegetation control has many facets to it. It all starts with correctly identifying the target plant or plants that are growing in the fence line. After the plants have been identified, selecting the best chemistry to achieve the desired control is crucial. Proper application and timing are a large factor in the overall success of control measures. Generally, in most situations, the treatment is done with minimal labor, and a greater area can be treated in a day than what can be covered with manual control measures. In many instances, this is the most cost effective and the best control method for a wide variety of nuisance vegetation growing in and around fences.

There are a variety of chemical control methods that are available. Depending on the target plant or plants, a two-pronged approach may be needed. Some plants are better controlled by being cut mechanically and then the stumps or stubs chemically treated to prevent re-sprouting.

There are two main types of herbicide products for chemical control of vegetation, selective and non-selective chemistries. Selective herbicides are designed to target a specific plant or group of plants while limiting the impact on desirable non-target plants. Non-selective herbicides control or kill most plants that they contact including those plants that are not the target plants. Within these chemistries, there are post-emergent and pre-emergent products. The post-emergent product targets the weeds that have already emerged from the soil and pre-emergent products help to reduce future weed emergences and extend the control longevity by controlling the plants that have yet to emerge from the ground or preventing the seeds from germinating. Depending on the target plant, a systemic or contact method of application would be used. Systemic herbicides are absorbed into the plant tissue and move throughout the plant, affecting multiple plant parts including the roots. A contact herbicide affects only the plant tissues that it has made contact with, and it does not move throughout the plant. Knowledge of the target plant absorption methods is key to successful control.

Brush and woody-stemmed plants growing in fencelines also contribute to the loss in longevity of your fence. Fencelines with limited brush and woody-stemmed weeds generally last longer than a fence where brush is left unmanaged. Some woody plants require a two-step approach to achieve control, such as mechanical cutting followed by treatment to reduce re-sprouting. Mechanical removal of some woody plants may leave stubs or stumps that can re-sprout and, in some instances, the damage done to the root system during mechanical removal measures can cause sprouting from damaged roots. Depending on the target plant and the site conditions, chemical control measures may need to be applied ahead of mechanical control measures. Different brush control application methods may be selected based on plant size, growth habit and location. All of these factors are taken into consideration when developing an integrated plant management plan for a property.

Successful control of undesirable vegetation in fencelines depends on correct plant identification, understanding plant growth cycles and selecting the right treatment products to achieve control of the target vegetation. Experienced vegetation control professionals can determine whether selective, non-selective, systemic, contact or residual products are appropriate to achieve control of the target plants growing in, or around, your fence. Knowledge of treatment timing is important because different plants respond best to treatment at different stages of growth. Owen Tree Service’s licensed commercial applicators are trained in plant identification, treatment techniques, product selection and safe application practices. Professional vegetation management companies, like Owen Tree Service, can help protect your desirable vegetation while controlling the unwanted plants along your fencelines.

Do you need to get rid of plants growing in a fenceline? Send us a message or call us today at 800-724-6680 so we can identify the vegetation growing in your fenceline and develop an integrated plant management (IPM) plan specifically for your property.