If you’ve got a field, a vacant lot, or a piece of hunting land in Franklin Parish, you already know how fast it grows up. One wet summer and a clean field turns into a wall of weeds, briars, and saplings. The question most folks ask us is simple: when should I bush hog?
Here’s how we think about it.
Early summer: the first knock-down
By late May and into June, spring growth is tall and going to seed. A pass with the bush hog now keeps weeds from seeding out for the rest of the year — which means less to fight next time. For most pastures and open ground, this is the single most valuable cut of the year.
Mid-to-late summer: keep it in check
If you want a field to stay genuinely tidy, a second cut in July or August keeps summer growth from getting ahead of you again. This is especially worth it along fence lines, ditches, and property lines, where overgrowth makes a whole place look neglected.
Before hunting season: lanes and lease lines
This is a big one around here. Late summer into early fall, we stay busy clearing shooting lanes, lease roads, and fence lines so everything’s ready when the season opens. If you hunt, get on the schedule early — these weeks fill up fast.
A few things that change the timing
- Very overgrown ground may need an initial knock-down whenever you can get to it, then a regular schedule after.
- Wet ground after Delta rains may need to dry out before we can get equipment on it without making ruts.
- What you’re growing it for matters — a wildlife plot, a hay field, and a “just keep it clean” lot all want different timing.
The short version
For most land in Northeast Louisiana: one good cut in early summer, a second mid-summer if you want it sharp, and lanes cleared before season. Not sure what your piece needs? Get a free quote and we’ll take a look.
This is a seed article you’re welcome to edit. Have a local question you’d want answered here? Let us know.