Removing Hedges - Is there an easier way?

danyews

Hi Everyone,

I have recently removed 5 metres of hedges in my front garden. As most of you know chopping them down is the easy bit, but getting the roots out is the toughest part. It took me the best part of 2 days to get all the roots out !!

Problem is i have 18 metres in my back garden to do next but do not fancy digging them all out by hand with pick and shovel. I am thinking of hiring a mini excavator but have heard horror stories about digging up unknown pipes etc and the cost to hire one of these is around £100 per day (including delivery). Also will i need a chain with this to help pull out the roots?

If anyone has any suggestions which may help ro any guidance it would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance :j

Danny

Budweiser_072000

you could try poisoning them, if u got the money hire a digger and dig them out but it would wreck your garden......

foreign_correspondent

put a chain around them, as near to the base of the plante s possible and drag them out!
We attached a chain to a tractor and did this to get rid of a long hedge, but cannot see why you cant attach it to a car and do the same. However you have got to be careful in case the chain slips off etc.

danyews

Thanks for your help with this Budweiser & Foreign Correspondant.

I cannot use a car as the hedges are around the back of the house which is not accesible by car, but is accessible for a small digger.
My garden is a heap of moss at the moment so i am renovating from scratch shall we say, that is why i thought getting a digger in 1st and removing these hedges would be best.

You spoke about using a chain. Is there a certain type of chain i would need to get for this and would a hire merchant supply it?

Once again, thanks for all your input.:T

DD

foreign_correspondent

just a heavy duty chain - I expect a tool hire place would have one, yes. We used one with a hook on the end which you can loop arond the stump and then hook back into the chain.

System

My neighbour told me that if you hammer copper nails into a tree or hedge it will eventually kill it off. May take a long time though.

Thefunkygibbons

If you go for a digger, get a strong one

I tried removing Lylandia roots a few years back with a mini digger and the roots won

I had them ground out by a stump grinder

Slimcilla

You could hire a stump grinder..

Barneysmom

I hope you don't mind me saying but our neighbour took all hers out and the drains collapsed. Please be careful there's none under yours, it cost her a few thousand to have new drains fitted. Good luck xxxx

Davesnave

I took out about 40 metres of really thick privet in my back garden & discovered all sorts of things, including the fact that the rear neighbours had nicked parts of my garden! The hedge was 8' wide in many places and hid a multitude of sins, including all the glass from the area's bomb damage.

I had plenty of time to think about easier ways to do it, but I'm afraid I didn't come up with any. Wouldn't be without my 6' wrecking bar though.

yesiamtom

i would say poisioning it would be the easiest way, i when i removed a load of brambles recently i found after leaving sodium clorate on them for about 1-2 weeks the roots juts popped out really easy!

Not sure what would work on a bush though. :S