Karl Pope did some shou sugi ban projects, a Viking chair was one of them I think, he could give you some good tips. I would personally hire a digger lol I'm impatient though 😄
was going to suggest making the baths into worm bins( the plughole will drain excess liquid) although you are going to have to work out insulation for winter. build compost into a pile for now( or use some of the bricks/breeze blocks to build a temporary compost bin). add plenty of used coffee grounds and if the pile is large enough it will cook well. get a wood chipper because I think with the size of the land you are going to be chipping wood/shrubs/brambles etc almost every year. the wood chips can be for garden paths between raised beds or compost. You have space to make a leaf mould compost as well ( takes much longer but very beneficialfor your plants) focus on not doing everything, but prioritse your growing sections( you can then work on other parts whilst the plants are growing). you have to watch the brambles as you need to kill the roots unless you like cutting every year. save some of the best brambles to dry out and use them as slug detterent around your veg ( i find it to be excellent for it) I envy you, I wouldn't mind doing a project like this , although I would take much longer as I have full time job..
Get rid of the greenhouses and put up a polytunnel; yes, it's ugly, but you need to concentrate on having a larger yield; you can recycle the frames and glass. Also, if you can get some pigs or borrow them, they will clear your land within a month in the hexagonal rose garden looks awful; they always go knotty and woody in Autumn and Winter, so making that area a raised bed would be a project. The new greenhouse looks nicer, and I would use that as a nursery greenhouse before planting in the polytunnel; the pony muck will be fantastic for your compost area. If you put a drainage area under your compost you can collect compost juice and use that for fertiliser. You must keep the compost away from the ponds, as it will become a green nightmare. The larger pond I would put up a screened hide, and encourage wildlife, once established, you can let camera clubs use it for a day, and the revenue can go back into the land. I love the Victorian cottage, once that's done up I will raise my hand to be first renter!!
@@lynjermey6423funny you should mention Karl. He Whatsapped me the day I posted my TH-cam short asking about wood burning. He was laughing my head off about my Shou Sugi Ban pronunciation 😅 I'll check his video out! Thank you!
Be quite careful to prep the ground for your raised beds. Anywhere that has had brambles should be throughly dug to remove any bramble roots etc. Without that preparation you will have brambles coming up in the beds forever. I'd also not put bramble cuttings on a compost pile, start a future burn pile with them and the rotten wood that you are finding. What a treasure of an old homestead! The many finds can be saved as you are doing and repurposed. Some of the metal finds look like they could be used as trellis material to grow vegetables up. Those bath tubs would be perfect for veggies that need a deep growing medium like potatoes, carrots or parsnips etc. I would incorporate the bathtubs into the veg garden area. First time on your site and looking forward to finding previous and future posts.
SO glad you said that@jonathanevans3500 .... I do often wish we'd found this place 10 years ago, but we were different people then, and 0 skills in anything 😆😆
For the greenhouses I would recommend taking the glass out of the roof and replacing it with double walled polycarbonate, for two reasons: one, old greenhouse glass is prone to breaking (it gets really brittle as it ages and will resist any sort of cutting and just breaking where it wants to) so as the weather gets more extreme hail is more likely to break it. two, it will diffuse any sun a lot better than plain glass so is less likely to make any focused areas that could scorch plants, melt plastics or burn wood. It will also give you a few more spare panes that can be used for the sides if/when needed. Polycarbonate is SO much cheaper than greenhouse glass (new or old). Safer to work with too and much more forgiving when being fitted.
I, like you bought a battery powered brushcutter (Stihl), however in the end I bought a petrol powered bike handled one too. So much more power and no waiting for a recharge. I still have the battery one but keep it just for strimming.
All those brambles will not make good compost, those thick branches and thorns won’t break down very quickly, unless you shred it So, instead Treat yourself to a massive bonfire. Then you can compost all the new bramble growth you cut using your ride on mower. The wood chip makes great compost. After three years you will have fabulous crumbly material. Or use it in your garden as pathing material.
Great vid if you can get a Oregon mulching blade it would save you loads of time works amazing on brambles you will find it will so much better and save loads of time recommend the single bar one about 10 pounds
Love watching your videos! Just a couple of things, as a matter of course always remove the batteries when making any adjustments to battery tools. When you use your strimmer always use it so it is throwing any material away from buildings. My strimmer picked up a small piece of gravel and it went through the glass of a french window like a bullet! £500 to replace! Ouch!
Vikkie, I am enjoying watching your rescue of this new homestead. In a few years, you are going to be a bonified farmer! It's costing you a lot of manual labor, but in the end it's going to be worth it. Thanks for sharing this journey with us.
I came to your yt pages from looking at attic items. I had to remove my junk to have new insulation and need to pop it back up ( hopefully on boards) as I'm tight on space. The last 3hrs I have been watching your vids! 😂 The way you've tackled those brambles has given me impetus to do my own teeny garden! 😂 Thank you and I look forward to watching more 😊
My advice on starting growing veg is to leave it until you've got the basics sorted out. I also focused on becoming self-sufficient but if I could go back five years, I would not do anything like that. It's very time-consuming, especially if you're struggling with a make-shift settup. The fruits of your labour will also be disappointing. Better to focus on getting the house fixed to a basic standard first. You could grow easy crops, such as cherry tomatoes (very productive), lettuces, potatoes (you have a lot of containers!), but I would leave the greenhouse restoration for a later time. Up to you of course! The compost can be made in heaps...it doesn't need to be contained. I would leave the cast iron baths insitu as they are useful for animals. You may well buy some farm animals - a horse, cow, goats, etc. I admire your resilience and energy by the way! Your cameraman is doing a great job too! Can we have an introduction of this mystery man please?
you normally take the sizes of the glass you need and it is cut for you at the shop. if your tracktor has a 3 way hitch at the back you can get a brushog and that will cut though the mess very well. do not put brambles into the compost heap as they will take root and they will not rot down, it is best to burn them and put the ashes into the compost, but make sure that it is only the ashes. last thing, have you got a pressure washer as that table and any plastic will come back to new.
I prefer petrol strimmers and brush cutters. It’s easier than faffing about waiting for batteries to charge. The extra noise is a bonus for me. Must be a man thing. I’m always tempted to run about swinging petrol power tools like the bloke in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 🤣. I’ve got a pair of those long handled loppers, very handy.
👍👍👍 Vikkie you have a real gem of a property🤗. For the brush cutter the tri-blade is ok for general work, but for brambles you need the Oregon 3T mulching blade priced around £20.00.
By far the best tool for brambles and such is a long reach hedge cutter, so grab that accessory sooner than later. It'll keep your arms and legs well away from those evil thorns!😂
Hi🤗 What an absolute dream… I’ve just found you today and subscribed….. the hexagonal rose area is/or will be so beautiful ❤️ There are always going to be two sides… get rid of the old tat and bring in the new or make good of what you have. I personally think the old and new combined is perfect. 👍🏻 Anything metal or iron I would paint (red looks lovely 🤷♀️😆) and have them as features for plants like sweet peas or fruits/veg. I would definitely put mesh/wire under your raised beds, even greenhouse or pollytunnels to prevent the rats, moles etc digging up. Good luck on your journey, happy gardening, can’t wait to see more. 🌷🌱🍓🐝
Thanks so much and glad you found me 😀 I love the idea of mesh underneath, but have been looking at the prices, so may need to skip as I have now built quite a few 😬 Where would you buy mesh for it?
Glass cutting is easier than I expected, last year we were gifted an old greenhouse with some missing glass and some damaged pieces. After being shocked at the price of new glass I cut the damaged pieces off and reused the good bits. I think the tool was about £5. Our glazing merchant had greenhouse glass in stock and did cut the fiddly bits in no time.
That is so many pots! You wont have to buy any new ones for the rest of your life 😂 cant wait to see all of the ways you will re-use all the things you uncovered! Thank you for all the great content, greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪 ❤
Should have gone for one of the Stihl KM Pro range. Super bits of kit, especially for all the heavy work you have ahead of you. Good luck with the project.
@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK Delivered today. 20mins to charge the batteries while I put it together and then a quick test of the trimmer. It is REALLY quiet! Got to hang fire on the brushcutter as there are ducks nesting where I need to cut. Now seeing as your advice on this was so spot on I wonder if you could perhaps offer some thoughts on lottery numbers? 😄😄😄
A mini digger/excavator is definitely in the future. It will help do a ton of work and clear areas so much easier. If you're getting a chainsaw look at getting a mill to produce your own timber from the trees that you will eventually trim back. I would also consider having a huge bonfire (if allowed in your area) and yes a visit to the scrapyard. A lot of the plastic items may be too UV degraded to reuse but I'm a big fan of upcycling whatever you can. I'm so jealous of your own little nature reserve. 👍 🍻 🐦⬛🦔🦆🦋🐓🦖
I do some volunteering for local parks department, we shift a metric ship ton of branbles with hand tools only, loppers and shears, just get them sharp and get stuck in!
Looks like your home will provide numerous videos and projects! A little planning on low maintenance plants and brush goes a long way and being able to have a garden for that self sufficient life style!
We moved recently, and have two green houses in our garden, would love to see what you guys do with it, it might help us start growing our own fruit / veggies.
Vikkie and Mr C D, you both have done amazingly well so far from your Home it'self to the Surrounding Gardens. Vikkie as for those Raised Beds i have three in my garden sitting on the top of some flags put down by the previous owner, have you heard of Hugelkultur? well that's what i started on mine, Google it and have a read lots of gardeners use this method if they are short of Soil/Compost. Start with some Cardboard on the bottom of each Bed, then wet it down a bit with the Hose after that put your Hugelkultur stuff on top of the Cardboard, it can be any Branches, Logs, Shredded Paper, (except Rotten Wood, Painted Wood), i was given some branches off a Tree from my neighbours garden and i still have some left over looks like another Raised Bed for me ha ha ha. Anyway, where were we oh yes, after the Branches and other Compostable stuff not too much you don't want to actually make a Compost Bin, put on the top some Soil, old Compost out of Pots, just fill it to just over half way up, then some good bags of Compost or Homemade if you have any then some Blood, Fish and Bone and any Chicken Pellets and give it a good mix, if you see some bags of Manure in the Garden Centre or DIY Stores like Wikes B&Q or Homebase then grab a few and put them on the top and fill to within two inches from the top, it will sink a bit, and that's one good nutritional Raised Bed, don't forget to do the same on your other beds then just leave it for the Rain to wet a bit or you can Hose it for a bit if it's too dry. This is how i did mine sitting on the top of some Flagstones and i have had some cracking Garlic, Onions, Tomatoes, Carrots, Salads etc you can grow anything you want in Raised Beds. Have a read of that Hugelkultur or watch some TH-cam videos about it, it takes ages to break down and Compost but the Worms will love it. Sorry about the long Comment i hope you read this first before you tackle the Raised Bed issue. Take Care and Good Luck. Barry (the Wirral)
i know it's the wrong time of year really but i would hard prune the roses ( cut right back) this should be ok as long as they are not showing leaf buds and you will end up with more manageable and nicer looking roses
Hi maybe have a look at the TH-cam channel "self sufficient me" he's in Australia but has the sort of garden your talking about and has loads of tips and recycled bits he's made. Happy gardening very jealous it's a great space.
it would be a great move to get a worm farm started , to run alongside your compost heap. you have plenty room . and its way better for veg etc. can start as small or as large as you like 👍🏼 😊
In the states we have something called a forestry mulcher which is attached to a skid steer. I’m sure you could hire someone and what that machine could do in a day, you’d be there for a month. It’s amazing and just what your property needs.
Wow you’ve certainly been busy , but still a lot of work to do , but you know that ! Can’t believe how much land you have , waiting for the boat reveal , it may be worth a few bob you never know , by the way well done you’re a great worker , G
To burn the wood put 3 together like a "tube", lay them vertical over a fire. Just control the intensity of the fire and turn the "tube" to burn the two ends
*I was gonna suggest a 'scrubcutter' if it could also be attached to the back of the mower.. but after seeing this video.... there are just too many hidden thing under all that bramble. Its such a shame it was all left to go to ruin. But you will with lots of hard labour, will bring it all back to life again. 🙂 Also in the meantime to save the $$ just hand wash the glass in the green house... and gently hose it all off at the end, as the glass maybe a tad brittle.. until you can afford to upgrade the glass. At this stage of the game, this is just one step at a time and one day at a time.... as already you can see a massive difference. Also take a day off every so often, so that it doesn't become a huge chore... Maybe do a friends day when all your friends/family (minus little kids so they dont get hurt or too bored etc) come along for the day with all their tools... and clear heaps in a day... and then have a big BBQ and drinks at the end of the day. 🙂nz*
I'm so jealous of your land. I'm working towards a similar idea but I'm ten years away yet. Those brick half buried on the diagonal make beautiful edging for flower beds.
If you're looking for a place with land, hang on! We've seen properties get cheaper and it took us a year to find this just after the market had peaked 😅
Fantastic video Vikkie, its like a treasure hunt. I wonder what else you will discover there. You have done a lot of work and still even more ahead of you. But it will be a dream place when you finish. All the best and keep up the good job.
See if your battery platform offers a cordless pruner. The one for mine has been a life changer when the hedge trimmer and the grass trimmer aren't enough. Clearing your property has been like a treasure hunt!
I hate to break it to you but all those brambles will be back in the spring. They are an absolute menace! I've been battling them in a small garden, I cut them back over several years and tried digging them out but it makes no difference. Last year I did some more research and applied a brushwood weed killer (SBK) and it has certainly killed it all above ground. I have my fingers crossed for the spring that it has killed right down into the roots! I followed the instructions and applied it at the beginning of the summer with a pump sprayer and then waited and it gradually all died off.
Hi Vicki, I personally wouldn’t remove the cast iron baths from the fields. If you do decided at some point to have animals you will only have to replace drinking troughs. You may be able to lease out the fields and maybe a stable in the future for a stream of income.
All the largest projects start with a good clear out. Nice work getting underway. You've got many years supply of projects to film, so the house and garden will grow in tandem with your channel.
Brambles are so annoying. I did help clear a huge area by hand with secateurs and pruners and then dug out the roots. They grow back so fast when you just cut them down it looks like you haven't done it at all by the end of the year. They weren't as tall as your thicket, more wide and covering paths.
Many of the panes of glass will be standard 24 inch square horticultural glass , obviously the shapes will have to be cut to size but with a good glass cutter , a little oil for lubrication and a pair of decent gloves you should be fine. I think I would pile up all that horse manure and compost it again , the weed seeds that will be dormant in it will grow like mad if you spread it on your raised beds.
Hi there Vikkie, got your work cut out there but thanks for the video. I have the worx multi cutter /Strummer. I was a bit disappointed with it from new. Someone suggested to me using a different cutting cord on it other than what it came with... this makes a night and day difference. Slightly sharpening the cutter blade also helps as tome it was pretty dull upon receipt. I bought some premium strumming wire off amazon UK and that works a treat. Battery issues are solved by another double charger... also pretty cheap depending on where you look. In regards to the clear up, my advice is to find an open are near where your clearing a dig a ' burn pit in the ground. Burn all your cuttings in it and when finished fill in over Ash and level. I found that clearing brambles like what your showing on the vid, I did better with a lightweight sharp machette again available on line. I believe Stanley make a decent one in the uk. All the debris can be burnt in the pit. Lastly for the green house Clean up and any papers you want to clean up without power washing... I would look at a product called.. Monty Miracle.. available online... I use this stuff to clean most things outside. It biodegradable after 10 mins and inert when water is added to it. Look online for more info... its not cheap but the best I've found a d viable alternative to acidic products. It cleans walls, building, fencing, green houses, car wheels, and most hard surfaces including plastics without damage. Sorry its an essay but hope it helps. All the best 👍
Well done on fixing your truck. Looking forward to next week’s episode already. You kindly gave me a shirt some months ago and it’s still in great condition.
That 4-1 tool is nearly identical to my parkside one. The machine itself is good, but since it tries to do everything is not the best for ergonomics. For pruning and bush trimming I didn't the trigger positioning to be too bad, but if you are going to use it as a weed whacker often, you need to attach some wide handlebars. The ones for an old bike from the trash will do. The very same brake lever and hose can be used to create a trinket that activates the rather awkward positioned trigger on the machine.
With loppers it’s worth trying to get some that will allow your wrists to survive. Chainsaw course doing NPTC 30/31 would be helpful to you Conifer is very spitty as firewood as there is a lot of sap in them. The reason it fell in the weight in the top is too much and then the bottom couldn’t cope.
Lovely video , you have so much space ! , I bought a rather expensive stihl battery hedge trimmer meant for professional gardeners for a similar job and it was brilliant , with so much to do , you need good quality and high performance tools not something for just the occasional trim lol
We embarked on a similar journey in around 2012 - 200m2 bungalow with 9 acres (2/3rds woodland fortunately) albeit not quite as overgrown - that's happened while we've been here (the natural look!) - tools was a tricky one, I went for budget 2 stroke stuff back then (battery powered outdoor tools were still out not quite there) and found that they were heavy, noisy and never started when I actually needed them - the ride-on was another folly albeit cheap but guzzled petrol. Over the years I've come to accept that we can't control nature, brambles grow but can be pushed back where needed, hedges need trimming but I went down the Einhell route and the battery hedge trimmer has been fine (one set of replacement brushes on the motor). I no longer use the ride-on, it's heavy, noisy and polluting, but again a battery mower just isn't big enough so I fix up broken petrol push mowers and use them (extra exercise!) - I never found strimmers or brush cutters or multi tools that useful - the hedge trimmer is actually a more controlled way of taking out brambles in my experience. I still have a couple of chainsaws but the bigger one packed up after 10 years so I have a small petrol 12 inch and recently bought an Einhell battery 10in for chopping up smaller logs/trees (battery life not great but okay for small things). Fortunately we have solar PV so charging batteries is free and my petrol use for garden stuff has gone from over £100 a year to around £20-30 - I basically rotate the jobs that need doing as needed and don't get too het up about overgrown brambles or grass around the places where they're good for wildlife, we keep a growing area clear and mowed and prune and hedge trim over the winter - it felt overwhelming to start with but working with nature seems a fair compromise!
Love your videos. You are literally living my dream. It's so exciting how you are making this beat up house beautiful again and find something new where nature took over. So much opportunity there.
i've got a mains powered brush cutter / strimmer .. it's rated at 1000w & seems as powerful as my previous 2 stroke one .... but as Vikkie said it's soo much quieter & less strain on my arms & back
Hi Vickie sometimes things can feel very daunting huge challenges. But think of it like this when you climb a mountain you don't look at the top, you Chippeway a bit at a time from one area to another do it in small areas and guess what in the end you get to the top. Take care be happy
Having had experience of buying similarly overgrown horticultural land, it is surprising what you find under brambles, etc. All good fun clearing and planting it!
Brambles are tough my engine powered skimmer when using the saw blade attachment it sailed through. Also get a farmer in with an industrial grass cutter it will clear the brambles. And at the end have a bonfire, brambles do not compost well..
Oh wow Vikkie, you sure have cleared a lot there! I would personally burn the bramble as it will probably root there by the time it takes to break it all down, seeing how much there is but also how much you have left plus the ivy. You can re use the ash after. Keep the grass clipping and tree/ bush branches to fill the beds and make the compost piles. I would put the beds temporarily away from where the brambles are, as you will need to remove the roots and bricks first. I would then cover it with tarp, like you have done in front of the green houses and leave it for a year. You could clean the green houses but just focus on just repairing the one this year as you already have so much to do there and it isn't a race, no matter how excited you are to get stuck in. For the compost heap, i would keep it about the size of those farm gate wide and layer green and browns. You don't want it really high and then start another pile. The first pile should be ready in about a year. If you can afford it get those long compost thermometers Like someone else mentioned, you could use a bath tub for a wormery. Did you say there was a fridge freezer there? A chest freezer is also perfect to convert into a wormery. You want a board either wood or plastic to fit in to make two halves and drill some holes worm size so the worms can pass through each side. Start filling either the left or right side first. You can buy red wrigglers or like me find them in the garden and they will start breeding when it warms up. I am surprised that you haven't found a fruit cage of sorts there? Also, that cupboard in the greenhouse was probably used as a potting station. You two are doing brilliant there and can't wait to see what else you will find! All the best and have a great week! Hopefully this wet weather will pass in the next two weeks! It's like April aready!
There was a huge amount of work to do with the place, but whatever you think you have already achieved a great deal. The right tools for the right job really help, but some of them might only be earning their keep for short bursts. It is always a hard judgement call to decide whether to labour on or speed through with the right help..
Looking good! It's going to be amazing to see once you have uncovered everything. With the conifer if you are planning to burn it in a fireplace / stove make sure it is very well seasoned first, it's a very resinous wood if you burn it too green it can coat the chimney with tar and catch fire. If seasoned long enough it will be fine.
Hi Vikkie, What amazing grounds you got and out building you have bought a brilliant property. The ideas are endless, I would be in mt element if I had a place like that. cant wait to see what your going to do next, your doing a brilliant job. Take care
I have had a Makita version of the brushcutter for years. It's finally died but I've been looking at replacements and seeing your choice it confirms my choice to avoid a battery powered one. Just being able to run it with decent power on a tank of gas for hours, then fill up and not faff around with batteries or be held back by them is a huge advantage. Would I prefer an electric one? Sure, but gas is just quality of life for a tool I use this much around the homestead. Talking to a relative who works in one of these stores that's now mostly filled with electrics, he recommends buying a petrol one elsewhere if I want one with guts that keeps on going and says electric will not be as good. Brambles are an ongoing challenge, although you've got it a lot worse than me. I spray them. If I do spent an hour or so clearing out a plant by hand, I cut at the base with loppers, get rid of the upper branches and then pull out all the roots. But you never get all the roots. Ten seconds to spray versus unknown amount of time doing it by hand, if someone has the time (or are clearing out a greenhouse) sure do it by hand it'll be satisfying time spent. When I bought my homestead I was all about the not spraying and the permaculture and so on, then I realised that all the things I tried that I saw on TH-cam do not work, or work in specially suited landscapes/places. Now I have an abundance of tasks and need to focus the time spent. Gas and spraying unfortunately have become a requirement if I want to actually get things done, and spent a day rather than weeks. It's an interesting experience to find stuff in the ground, it just gets lost so easily as the plants/grass grow over it. I've found large panels of rebar, roofing corrugated iron, metal posts, electric fence netting, railway sleepers and all out in a paddock where sheep were grazing over top of it and it was under the grass/dirt after however long.
Have you thought of those work helper events some land owners do, they invite people (maybe subscribers) to come help with your land in exchange for food and somewhere to pitch a tent for a few days?
My Ryobi strimmer would have munched through a lot of that grass on one battery! From watching other accounts, they seem to use the brush cutter in a vertical plane, cutting downwards, rather than moving horizontally. Good luck. Brambles are a challenge.
How would you tackle this land?
Karl Pope did some shou sugi ban projects, a Viking chair was one of them I think, he could give you some good tips. I would personally hire a digger lol I'm impatient though 😄
was going to suggest making the baths into worm bins( the plughole will drain excess liquid) although you are going to have to work out insulation for winter.
build compost into a pile for now( or use some of the bricks/breeze blocks to build a temporary compost bin). add plenty of used coffee grounds and if the pile is large enough it will cook well.
get a wood chipper because I think with the size of the land you are going to be chipping wood/shrubs/brambles etc almost every year. the wood chips can be for garden paths between raised beds or compost. You have space to make a leaf mould compost as well ( takes much longer but very beneficialfor your plants)
focus on not doing everything, but prioritse your growing sections( you can then work on other parts whilst the plants are growing).
you have to watch the brambles as you need to kill the roots unless you like cutting every year.
save some of the best brambles to dry out and use them as slug detterent around your veg ( i find it to be excellent for it)
I envy you, I wouldn't mind doing a project like this , although I would take much longer as I have full time job..
Get rid of the greenhouses and put up a polytunnel; yes, it's ugly, but you need to concentrate on having a larger yield; you can recycle the frames and glass. Also, if you can get some pigs or borrow them, they will clear your land within a month in the hexagonal rose garden looks awful; they always go knotty and woody in Autumn and Winter, so making that area a raised bed would be a project. The new greenhouse looks nicer, and I would use that as a nursery greenhouse before planting in the polytunnel; the pony muck will be fantastic for your compost area. If you put a drainage area under your compost you can collect compost juice and use that for fertiliser. You must keep the compost away from the ponds, as it will become a green nightmare. The larger pond I would put up a screened hide, and encourage wildlife, once established, you can let camera clubs use it for a day, and the revenue can go back into the land. I love the Victorian cottage, once that's done up I will raise my hand to be first renter!!
I'd get goats and pigs to clear the land.
@@lynjermey6423funny you should mention Karl. He Whatsapped me the day I posted my TH-cam short asking about wood burning. He was laughing my head off about my Shou Sugi Ban pronunciation 😅 I'll check his video out! Thank you!
Be quite careful to prep the ground for your raised beds. Anywhere that has had brambles should be throughly dug to remove any bramble roots etc. Without that preparation you will have brambles coming up in the beds forever. I'd also not put bramble cuttings on a compost pile, start a future burn pile with them and the rotten wood that you are finding. What a treasure of an old homestead! The many finds can be saved as you are doing and repurposed. Some of the metal finds look like they could be used as trellis material to grow vegetables up. Those bath tubs would be perfect for veggies that need a deep growing medium like potatoes, carrots or parsnips etc. I would incorporate the bathtubs into the veg garden area. First time on your site and looking forward to finding previous and future posts.
So true , brambles are a nightmare . Lethal on your skin , getting rid of the growth and then having to dig out the root systems.
The whole place just screams...Potential!!! Good thing you both are young.
SO glad you said that@jonathanevans3500 .... I do often wish we'd found this place 10 years ago, but we were different people then, and 0 skills in anything 😆😆
For the greenhouses I would recommend taking the glass out of the roof and replacing it with double walled polycarbonate, for two reasons:
one, old greenhouse glass is prone to breaking (it gets really brittle as it ages and will resist any sort of cutting and just breaking where it wants to) so as the weather gets more extreme hail is more likely to break it.
two, it will diffuse any sun a lot better than plain glass so is less likely to make any focused areas that could scorch plants, melt plastics or burn wood.
It will also give you a few more spare panes that can be used for the sides if/when needed. Polycarbonate is SO much cheaper than greenhouse glass (new or old). Safer to work with too and much more forgiving when being fitted.
Yep what he said ☝👍
100% - this is what I'd do
my greenhouse is all polycarbonate . I sealed the edges with caulking to prevent mold and it is so much more efficient than glass.
It also has a bit of wiggle which really helps in high winds
I, like you bought a battery powered brushcutter (Stihl), however in the end I bought a petrol powered bike handled one too. So much more power and no waiting for a recharge. I still have the battery one but keep it just for strimming.
All those brambles will not make good compost, those thick branches and thorns won’t break down very quickly, unless you shred it So, instead Treat yourself to a massive bonfire. Then you can compost all the new bramble growth you cut using your ride on mower. The wood chip makes great compost. After three years you will have fabulous crumbly material. Or use it in your garden as pathing material.
Great vid if you can get a Oregon mulching blade it would save you loads of time works amazing on brambles you will find it will so much better and save loads of time recommend the single bar one about 10 pounds
You are absolutely right, bought one after seeing comments coming through on sunday night and the strimmer is now a monster, it feels unstoppable .🤣
I recommend the oregon mulching blade too.
I'll also love the Oregan mulching blade , bloody lethal bit of kit lol
Love watching your videos! Just a couple of things, as a matter of course always remove the batteries when making any adjustments to battery tools. When you use your strimmer always use it so it is throwing any material away from buildings. My strimmer picked up a small piece of gravel and it went through the glass of a french window like a bullet! £500 to replace! Ouch!
Yes, I completely agree! The blade cutter is a very dangerous tool!
And wow.... thanks for the tip and sorry about your costly mistake. That happened with our lawnmower years ago
Vikkie, I am enjoying watching your rescue of this new homestead. In a few years, you are going to be a bonified farmer!
It's costing you a lot of manual labor, but in the end it's going to be worth it. Thanks for sharing this journey with us.
I hope so! The way we go through veg and what it's costing, we need to be a bit more self-sufficient
Some chinese chainsaws are pretty hood .a bluemax is a good saw .about half of cost of name brand ones😅
I came to your yt pages from looking at attic items. I had to remove my junk to have new insulation and need to pop it back up ( hopefully on boards) as I'm tight on space.
The last 3hrs I have been watching your vids! 😂 The way you've tackled those brambles has given me impetus to do my own teeny garden! 😂
Thank you and I look forward to watching more 😊
Vikkie, this has got to be one of the best projects on TH-cam - can’t wait to follow you and Mr TCD along it - with a touch of envy! All the best.
Amazing, Vikkie! I enjoy being able to follow along and see what you uncover amongst your property. 🙂
My advice on starting growing veg is to leave it until you've got the basics sorted out. I also focused on becoming self-sufficient but if I could go back five years, I would not do anything like that. It's very time-consuming, especially if you're struggling with a make-shift settup. The fruits of your labour will also be disappointing. Better to focus on getting the house fixed to a basic standard first. You could grow easy crops, such as cherry tomatoes (very productive), lettuces, potatoes (you have a lot of containers!), but I would leave the greenhouse restoration for a later time. Up to you of course! The compost can be made in heaps...it doesn't need to be contained. I would leave the cast iron baths insitu as they are useful for animals. You may well buy some farm animals - a horse, cow, goats, etc. I admire your resilience and energy by the way! Your cameraman is doing a great job too! Can we have an introduction of this mystery man please?
you normally take the sizes of the glass you need and it is cut for you at the shop. if your tracktor has a 3 way hitch at the back you can get a brushog and that will cut though the mess very well. do not put brambles into the compost heap as they will take root and they will not rot down, it is best to burn them and put the ashes into the compost, but make sure that it is only the ashes. last thing, have you got a pressure washer as that table and any plastic will come back to new.
I second that re putting brambles on compost heap
Great video Vikkie, congratulations on 100k, well deserved. ❤
Thank you so much 🥰 It's definitely been the hardest DIY challenge I've experienced so far 🤣🤣
I prefer petrol strimmers and brush cutters. It’s easier than faffing about waiting for batteries to charge. The extra noise is a bonus for me. Must be a man thing.
I’m always tempted to run about swinging petrol power tools like the bloke in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 🤣.
I’ve got a pair of those long handled loppers, very handy.
for the large gardens I work at I use galvanised roofing sheets held back by fencing stakes to make 6 ft square compost bins, good budget solution!
Thank you!
👍👍👍 Vikkie you have a real gem of a property🤗. For the brush cutter the tri-blade is ok for general work, but for brambles you need the Oregon 3T mulching blade priced around £20.00.
Agree,the Oregon blade works really well.
By far the best tool for brambles and such is a long reach hedge cutter, so grab that accessory sooner than later. It'll keep your arms and legs well away from those evil thorns!😂
Hi🤗
What an absolute dream… I’ve just found you today and subscribed….. the hexagonal rose area is/or will be so beautiful ❤️ There are always going to be two sides… get rid of the old tat and bring in the new or make good of what you have. I personally think the old and new combined is perfect. 👍🏻
Anything metal or iron I would paint (red looks lovely 🤷♀️😆) and have them as features for plants like sweet peas or fruits/veg.
I would definitely put mesh/wire under your raised beds, even greenhouse or pollytunnels to prevent the rats, moles etc digging up.
Good luck on your journey, happy gardening, can’t wait to see more.
🌷🌱🍓🐝
Thanks so much and glad you found me 😀 I love the idea of mesh underneath, but have been looking at the prices, so may need to skip as I have now built quite a few 😬 Where would you buy mesh for it?
Glass cutting is easier than I expected, last year we were gifted an old greenhouse with some missing glass and some damaged pieces. After being shocked at the price of new glass I cut the damaged pieces off and reused the good bits. I think the tool was about £5. Our glazing merchant had greenhouse glass in stock and did cut the fiddly bits in no time.
Im guessing a mini digger arriving soon from amazon 😂, enjoyed the video 📹.
I am surprised you havent seen any bunnys. They love bramble patches.😅
I’d invest in a shredder if you don’t already have one, make it quicker to compost all those branches down x
That is so many pots! You wont have to buy any new ones for the rest of your life 😂 cant wait to see all of the ways you will re-use all the things you uncovered! Thank you for all the great content, greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪 ❤
I am totally loving this journey!
So happy you're enjoying it 🥰🥰🥰
I was thinking STIHL FS 461 C-EM with a mulching blade. little trees etc. no problem. It will cut through anything, no problems.
Should have gone for one of the Stihl KM Pro range. Super bits of kit, especially for all the heavy work you have ahead of you. Good luck with the project.
Just ordered the strimmer/brushcutter combo from your link. All I've got to do now is learn how to use it (hopefully without any mishaps) 🤣
Nice, thankyou, good choice, i love the way the string line feed in. And that you can get the oregon blade that just mulches anything it touches.
@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK Delivered today. 20mins to charge the batteries while I put it together and then a quick test of the trimmer. It is REALLY quiet! Got to hang fire on the brushcutter as there are ducks nesting where I need to cut. Now seeing as your advice on this was so spot on I wonder if you could perhaps offer some thoughts on lottery numbers? 😄😄😄
A mini digger/excavator is definitely in the future. It will help do a ton of work and clear areas so much easier. If you're getting a chainsaw look at getting a mill to produce your own timber from the trees that you will eventually trim back. I would also consider having a huge bonfire (if allowed in your area) and yes a visit to the scrapyard. A lot of the plastic items may be too UV degraded to reuse but I'm a big fan of upcycling whatever you can. I'm so jealous of your own little nature reserve. 👍 🍻 🐦⬛🦔🦆🦋🐓🦖
I do some volunteering for local parks department, we shift a metric ship ton of branbles with hand tools only, loppers and shears, just get them sharp and get stuck in!
Looks like your home will provide numerous videos and projects! A little planning on low maintenance plants and brush goes a long way and being able to have a garden for that self sufficient life style!
We moved recently, and have two green houses in our garden, would love to see what you guys do with it, it might help us start growing our own fruit / veggies.
Best of luck! 😀 I hope we can somehow inspire.... we've got a lot to learn 😅
Try using the hedge trimmer attachment for the brambles
Brilliant presentation, and a very interesting watch.
Have you considered using a flame thrower? That would be an awesome video! Enjoyed this one too.
You'll enjoy this Sunday's video 😉
@@TheCarpentersDaughterUK Yay!!
It's the second week of February. That's the time when you cut your roses right back. Two thirds of the height is still ok.
5:29 The Vikkinator!!!
Vikkie and Mr C D, you both have done amazingly well so far from your Home it'self to the Surrounding Gardens.
Vikkie as for those Raised Beds i have three in my garden sitting on the top of some flags put down by the previous owner, have you heard of Hugelkultur? well that's what i started on mine, Google it and have a read lots of gardeners use this method if they are short of Soil/Compost.
Start with some Cardboard on the bottom of each Bed, then wet it down a bit with the Hose after that put your Hugelkultur stuff on top of the Cardboard, it can be any Branches, Logs, Shredded Paper, (except Rotten Wood, Painted Wood), i was given some branches off a Tree from my neighbours garden and i still have some left over looks like another Raised Bed for me ha ha ha.
Anyway, where were we oh yes, after the Branches and other Compostable stuff not too much you don't want to actually make a Compost Bin, put on the top some Soil, old Compost out of Pots, just fill it to just over half way up, then some good bags of Compost or Homemade if you have any then some Blood, Fish and Bone and any Chicken Pellets and give it a good mix, if you see some bags of Manure in the Garden Centre or DIY Stores like Wikes B&Q or Homebase then grab a few and put them on the top and fill to within two inches from the top, it will sink a bit, and that's one good nutritional Raised Bed, don't forget to do the same on your other beds then just leave it for the Rain to wet a bit or you can Hose it for a bit if it's too dry.
This is how i did mine sitting on the top of some Flagstones and i have had some cracking Garlic, Onions, Tomatoes, Carrots, Salads etc you can grow anything you want in Raised Beds.
Have a read of that Hugelkultur or watch some TH-cam videos about it, it takes ages to break down and Compost but the Worms will love it.
Sorry about the long Comment i hope you read this first before you tackle the Raised Bed issue.
Take Care and Good Luck.
Barry (the Wirral)
Hedge trimmers are very good for cutting brambles down.
What were your thoughts on this one compared to ones you've used?
Sthil always the best there is to be honest you could use some forestry or brush clearing type products
i know it's the wrong time of year really but i would hard prune the roses ( cut right back) this should be ok as long as they are not showing leaf buds and you will end up with more manageable and nicer looking roses
I use a roofing burner for the Sho Sugi Ban Japanese wood preserving technique. Its also great for making my aged witchcraft chests.
Hi maybe have a look at the TH-cam channel "self sufficient me" he's in Australia but has the sort of garden your talking about and has loads of tips and recycled bits he's made. Happy gardening very jealous it's a great space.
it would be a great move to get a worm farm started , to run alongside your compost heap. you have plenty room . and its way better for veg etc. can start as small or as large as you like 👍🏼 😊
In the states we have something called a forestry mulcher which is attached to a skid steer. I’m sure you could hire someone and what that machine could do in a day, you’d be there for a month. It’s amazing and just what your property needs.
Wow you’ve certainly been busy , but still a lot of work to do , but you know that ! Can’t believe how much land you have , waiting for the boat reveal , it may be worth a few bob you never know , by the way well done you’re a great worker , G
Titan petrol brushcutter at £130,is excellent value.I had done on a 26 acre property.Battery ones just dont have the run time.
Brilliant video vikkie but please wear gloves when changing the brush cutter blade. Just if your hand slips, you would have a nasty wound
that weed membrane towards the end is fabulous
Don't they say; "It's Rude To POINT!" ?? 😵💫🥴.... Cracking on a treat 👍🤠
What a satisfying job that was.
canes inside a cupboard reminds me of a safe place to attach butterfly pupae?
To burn the wood put 3 together like a "tube", lay them vertical over a fire. Just control the intensity of the fire and turn the "tube" to burn the two ends
*I was gonna suggest a 'scrubcutter' if it could also be attached to the back of the mower.. but after seeing this video.... there are just too many hidden thing under all that bramble. Its such a shame it was all left to go to ruin. But you will with lots of hard labour, will bring it all back to life again. 🙂 Also in the meantime to save the $$ just hand wash the glass in the green house... and gently hose it all off at the end, as the glass maybe a tad brittle.. until you can afford to upgrade the glass. At this stage of the game, this is just one step at a time and one day at a time.... as already you can see a massive difference. Also take a day off every so often, so that it doesn't become a huge chore... Maybe do a friends day when all your friends/family (minus little kids so they dont get hurt or too bored etc) come along for the day with all their tools... and clear heaps in a day... and then have a big BBQ and drinks at the end of the day. 🙂nz*
I'm so jealous of your land. I'm working towards a similar idea but I'm ten years away yet. Those brick half buried on the diagonal make beautiful edging for flower beds.
If you're looking for a place with land, hang on! We've seen properties get cheaper and it took us a year to find this just after the market had peaked 😅
Pigs and goats would clear that lot within 12 weeks !😊❤
Fantastic video Vikkie, its like a treasure hunt. I wonder what else you will discover there. You have done a lot of work and still even more ahead of you. But it will be a dream place when you finish. All the best and keep up the good job.
See if your battery platform offers a cordless pruner. The one for mine has been a life changer when the hedge trimmer and the grass trimmer aren't enough. Clearing your property has been like a treasure hunt!
I hate to break it to you but all those brambles will be back in the spring. They are an absolute menace! I've been battling them in a small garden, I cut them back over several years and tried digging them out but it makes no difference. Last year I did some more research and applied a brushwood weed killer (SBK) and it has certainly killed it all above ground. I have my fingers crossed for the spring that it has killed right down into the roots! I followed the instructions and applied it at the beginning of the summer with a pump sprayer and then waited and it gradually all died off.
Hi Vicki, I personally wouldn’t remove the cast iron baths from the fields. If you do decided at some point to have animals you will only have to replace drinking troughs. You may be able to lease out the fields and maybe a stable in the future for a stream of income.
All the largest projects start with a good clear out. Nice work getting underway. You've got many years supply of projects to film, so the house and garden will grow in tandem with your channel.
Brambles are so annoying. I did help clear a huge area by hand with secateurs and pruners and then dug out the roots. They grow back so fast when you just cut them down it looks like you haven't done it at all by the end of the year. They weren't as tall as your thicket, more wide and covering paths.
That's not good 😅 I'll be trying to dig the roots out soon, and hopefully burn them in situ with my new roofing burner 😅
You can cut your roses right back and they will come back in the spring, just don’t go too far.
Many of the panes of glass will be standard 24 inch square horticultural glass , obviously the shapes will have to be cut to size but with a good glass cutter , a little oil for lubrication and a pair of decent gloves you should be fine.
I think I would pile up all that horse manure and compost it again , the weed seeds that will be dormant in it will grow like mad if you spread it on your raised beds.
great job at clearing the bramble, it is a pain to do
Super job 😅
Keep Up the Good Work VIKKIE ❤
I’d be sure to regularly pause, stretch and do some shoulder and neck exercises when using those tools for long periods.
Another good video , wow you have cleared loads out the way. Well done very enjoyable 👍
Hi there Vikkie, got your work cut out there but thanks for the video. I have the worx multi cutter /Strummer. I was a bit disappointed with it from new. Someone suggested to me using a different cutting cord on it other than what it came with... this makes a night and day difference. Slightly sharpening the cutter blade also helps as tome it was pretty dull upon receipt. I bought some premium strumming wire off amazon UK and that works a treat. Battery issues are solved by another double charger... also pretty cheap depending on where you look.
In regards to the clear up, my advice is to find an open are near where your clearing a dig a ' burn pit in the ground. Burn all your cuttings in it and when finished fill in over Ash and level. I found that clearing brambles like what your showing on the vid, I did better with a lightweight sharp machette again available on line. I believe Stanley make a decent one in the uk. All the debris can be burnt in the pit.
Lastly for the green house Clean up and any papers you want to clean up without power washing... I would look at a product called.. Monty Miracle.. available online... I use this stuff to clean most things outside. It biodegradable after 10 mins and inert when water is added to it. Look online for more info... its not cheap but the best I've found a d viable alternative to acidic products. It cleans walls, building, fencing, green houses, car wheels, and most hard surfaces including plastics without damage. Sorry its an essay but hope it helps. All the best 👍
Sorry spelling A.I when crazy on that but I'm sure you got the gist of it.. Good luck 😄
Well done on fixing your truck. Looking forward to next week’s episode already. You kindly gave me a shirt some months ago and it’s still in great condition.
You should look for a used Bobcat Toolcat.
Ouch... even the 2nd hand prices are dear, aren't they?😅
Great project looking forward to seeing it progress
That 4-1 tool is nearly identical to my parkside one. The machine itself is good, but since it tries to do everything is not the best for ergonomics. For pruning and bush trimming I didn't the trigger positioning to be too bad, but if you are going to use it as a weed whacker often, you need to attach some wide handlebars. The ones for an old bike from the trash will do. The very same brake lever and hose can be used to create a trinket that activates the rather awkward positioned trigger on the machine.
Wow you’re doing such a great job it will look fab when it’s all done 😊
With loppers it’s worth trying to get some that will allow your wrists to survive. Chainsaw course doing NPTC 30/31 would be helpful to you
Conifer is very spitty as firewood as there is a lot of sap in them. The reason it fell in the weight in the top is too much and then the bottom couldn’t cope.
Old country lore - prune your roses on Grand Narional Day (or maybe my dad just made that up 😂).
Lovely video , you have so much space ! , I bought a rather expensive stihl battery hedge trimmer meant for professional gardeners for a similar job and it was brilliant , with so much to do , you need good quality and high performance tools not something for just the occasional trim lol
Thanks. Yes, these feels like the occasional trim kind of tool, sadly
Honestly guys! What an amazing project! (Flame thrower.......?)
such an interesting bit of property, I'm envious of all the fun you are having!
We embarked on a similar journey in around 2012 - 200m2 bungalow with 9 acres (2/3rds woodland fortunately) albeit not quite as overgrown - that's happened while we've been here (the natural look!) - tools was a tricky one, I went for budget 2 stroke stuff back then (battery powered outdoor tools were still out not quite there) and found that they were heavy, noisy and never started when I actually needed them - the ride-on was another folly albeit cheap but guzzled petrol. Over the years I've come to accept that we can't control nature, brambles grow but can be pushed back where needed, hedges need trimming but I went down the Einhell route and the battery hedge trimmer has been fine (one set of replacement brushes on the motor). I no longer use the ride-on, it's heavy, noisy and polluting, but again a battery mower just isn't big enough so I fix up broken petrol push mowers and use them (extra exercise!) - I never found strimmers or brush cutters or multi tools that useful - the hedge trimmer is actually a more controlled way of taking out brambles in my experience. I still have a couple of chainsaws but the bigger one packed up after 10 years so I have a small petrol 12 inch and recently bought an Einhell battery 10in for chopping up smaller logs/trees (battery life not great but okay for small things). Fortunately we have solar PV so charging batteries is free and my petrol use for garden stuff has gone from over £100 a year to around £20-30 - I basically rotate the jobs that need doing as needed and don't get too het up about overgrown brambles or grass around the places where they're good for wildlife, we keep a growing area clear and mowed and prune and hedge trim over the winter - it felt overwhelming to start with but working with nature seems a fair compromise!
Love your videos. You are literally living my dream. It's so exciting how you are making this beat up house beautiful again and find something new where nature took over. So much opportunity there.
i've got a mains powered brush cutter / strimmer .. it's rated at 1000w & seems as powerful as my previous 2 stroke one .... but as Vikkie said it's soo much quieter & less strain on my arms & back
That's food for thought as we do have a generator
Hi Vickie sometimes things can feel very daunting huge challenges. But think of it like this when you climb a mountain you don't look at the top, you Chippeway a bit at a time from one area to another do it in small areas and guess what in the end you get to the top. Take care be happy
Having had experience of buying similarly overgrown horticultural land, it is surprising what you find under brambles, etc. All good fun clearing and planting it!
I wonder if there are any Carp in that lake 🤔 there could be anything in there 🤯🎣
As a gardener myself you're better off with a universal Oregon mulching blade for heavy brambles and growth to deal with. About 12 quid online
Brambles are tough my engine powered skimmer when using the saw blade attachment it sailed through. Also get a farmer in with an industrial grass cutter it will clear the brambles. And at the end have a bonfire, brambles do not compost well..
Oh wow Vikkie, you sure have cleared a lot there!
I would personally burn the bramble as it will probably root there by the time it takes to break it all down, seeing how much there is but also how much you have left plus the ivy. You can re use the ash after. Keep the grass clipping and tree/ bush branches to fill the beds and make the compost piles. I would put the beds temporarily away from where the brambles are, as you will need to remove the roots and bricks first. I would then cover it with tarp, like you have done in front of the green houses and leave it for a year.
You could clean the green houses but just focus on just repairing the one this year as you already have so much to do there and it isn't a race, no matter how excited you are to get stuck in.
For the compost heap, i would keep it about the size of those farm gate wide and layer green and browns. You don't want it really high and then start another pile. The first pile should be ready in about a year. If you can afford it get those long compost thermometers
Like someone else mentioned, you could use a bath tub for a wormery. Did you say there was a fridge freezer there? A chest freezer is also perfect to convert into a wormery. You want a board either wood or plastic to fit in to make two halves and drill some holes worm size so the worms can pass through each side. Start filling either the left or right side first. You can buy red wrigglers or like me find them in the garden and they will start breeding when it warms up.
I am surprised that you haven't found a fruit cage of sorts there? Also, that cupboard in the greenhouse was probably used as a potting station.
You two are doing brilliant there and can't wait to see what else you will find! All the best and have a great week! Hopefully this wet weather will pass in the next two weeks! It's like April aready!
if you compost the brambles, make sure you shred them really good, otherwise they'll just take root
Getting quite exciting ❤
Have you got the hedge trimmer attachment think yhats better for brambles 🎉🎉🎉
There was a huge amount of work to do with the place, but whatever you think you have already achieved a great deal. The right tools for the right job really help, but some of them might only be earning their keep for short bursts. It is always a hard judgement call to decide whether to labour on or speed through with the right help..
Looking good! It's going to be amazing to see once you have uncovered everything. With the conifer if you are planning to burn it in a fireplace / stove make sure it is very well seasoned first, it's a very resinous wood if you burn it too green it can coat the chimney with tar and catch fire. If seasoned long enough it will be fine.
You are doing a great job, Thanks for sharing.
Hi Vikkie, What amazing grounds you got and out building you have bought a brilliant property. The ideas are endless, I would be in mt element if I had a place like that. cant wait to see what your going to do next, your doing a brilliant job. Take care
I have had a Makita version of the brushcutter for years. It's finally died but I've been looking at replacements and seeing your choice it confirms my choice to avoid a battery powered one. Just being able to run it with decent power on a tank of gas for hours, then fill up and not faff around with batteries or be held back by them is a huge advantage. Would I prefer an electric one? Sure, but gas is just quality of life for a tool I use this much around the homestead. Talking to a relative who works in one of these stores that's now mostly filled with electrics, he recommends buying a petrol one elsewhere if I want one with guts that keeps on going and says electric will not be as good.
Brambles are an ongoing challenge, although you've got it a lot worse than me. I spray them. If I do spent an hour or so clearing out a plant by hand, I cut at the base with loppers, get rid of the upper branches and then pull out all the roots. But you never get all the roots. Ten seconds to spray versus unknown amount of time doing it by hand, if someone has the time (or are clearing out a greenhouse) sure do it by hand it'll be satisfying time spent.
When I bought my homestead I was all about the not spraying and the permaculture and so on, then I realised that all the things I tried that I saw on TH-cam do not work, or work in specially suited landscapes/places. Now I have an abundance of tasks and need to focus the time spent. Gas and spraying unfortunately have become a requirement if I want to actually get things done, and spent a day rather than weeks.
It's an interesting experience to find stuff in the ground, it just gets lost so easily as the plants/grass grow over it. I've found large panels of rebar, roofing corrugated iron, metal posts, electric fence netting, railway sleepers and all out in a paddock where sheep were grazing over top of it and it was under the grass/dirt after however long.
Have you thought of those work helper events some land owners do, they invite people (maybe subscribers) to come help with your land in exchange for food and somewhere to pitch a tent for a few days?
My Ryobi strimmer would have munched through a lot of that grass on one battery!
From watching other accounts, they seem to use the brush cutter in a vertical plane, cutting downwards, rather than moving horizontally.
Good luck. Brambles are a challenge.