Renting a Bulldozer for the Orchard: My Sweetgum Battle

When I first planted chestnut trees, I pictured a tidy orchard filled with straight rows, sunlight filtering through, and plenty of room for the trees to stretch. What I didn’t picture were the invaders—sweetgum trees. They sprouted faster than I could cut, and before long they had turned into a forest of stubborn competition, stealing light, water, and space from my young chestnuts.

After a few years with a DR. Mower Beaver Blade, loppers, Renegade Blade on my weed eater, Ryobi reciprocating saw with a brush blade and finally a chainsaw and plenty of sore muscles, I realized something: this wasn’t a job for hand tools. It was a job for heavy machinery. That’s how I ended up renting a bulldozer for a week.

Why Sweetgum Trees Are Such a Problem

Sweetgums are tough. They seed aggressively, grow quickly, and send up suckers from their roots. Cutting them down only encourages more shoots. Left alone, they crowd out chestnuts and other fruiting trees. For anyone running an orchard, they’re the unwanted guests that never leave.

Making the Decision to Rent

I weighed my options. Hiring a land-clearing crew would cost thousands. They grew back after using a Forestry Mulcher. Doing it by hand would take another year or two (and probably my back as well). A bulldozer rental, on the other hand, offered a middle path: one week of focused work, my labor, and a machine powerful enough to push, rip, and pile the sweetgums once and for all.

The local rental yard delivered the bulldozer to my property. Standing beside it, I felt a mix of excitement and intimidation. This wasn’t just equipment—it was a beast of a machine.

The Week of Work

Operating the bulldozer took some practice, but once I got the hang of it, progress was fast and satisfying. Row by row, I drove through the orchard, pushing over sweetgum trunks that had resisted saws and axes. Roots that would have taken me hours to dig by hand popped up with a few tilts of the blade.

I used the pushed up debris to make wind rows across the slopes to combat soil erosion. Slowly, the orchard began to look like an orchard again—open, sunny, and orderly. My chestnut trees finally had breathing room.

Lessons Learned

1. Plan your time. A bulldozer can clear a lot in a day, but the clock is ticking on a rental. A one week rental equals 40 hours of machine time in my case. I mapped out sections before climbing into the cab so I wouldn’t waste time wandering.
2. Expect the unexpected. Big roots, hidden rocks, and uneven ground all tested my patience.
3. Respect the machine. A bulldozer is powerful but not invincible. Knowing when to back off, adjust, and approach from another angle saved me from getting stuck or worse, blowing out a hydraulic line.

The Results

By the end of the week, the sweetgums were gone, replaced by clear rows and healthier chestnuts. Renting the bulldozer was the best decision I could have made—affordable, effective, and strangely fun once I got the hang of it.

Now, when I walk through the orchard, I hear the rustle of chestnut leaves instead of sweetgum saplings. It reminds me that sometimes, to protect what you’re growing, you need to bring in the big boy tools.