Laurel Bushes

jellymid

I'm not sure about this, Charco. Maybe some kind person with RHS membership would ask them on your behalf? I used to be a member, but cost cutting meant it had to go.
It sounds like a good job done there, though. A laurel hedge looks lovely, I think, but it needs regular cutting to keep it thin, and 9 foot of garden is a lot to reclaim!
As to feeling unwell, I once read a story/urban myth about a bloke dying in his car full of laurel cuttings while waiting in a queue for the tip. :eek: I'm not sure if it's believeable, but it was enough to worry me!
Well done, I hope you feel better, soon.

Charco_2

Dug out one stump/root last night as a taster for how the weekend is going to be (i'm trying to talk my brother into helping so wanted a realistic idea of how much beer to get in!)

Turns out it's not so easy. The main roots extend in all directions and the soil seems to be just completely consumed in the little strands of roots...

I can get the main stumps and roots out but i was wondering is there a handier way of getting the mesh of interlocking mini-roots out?
Do i need to get them out?

jellymid

Try using a garden fork to lift them rather than a spade. This will allow you to loosen the roots, if you wriggle it about a bit. Work your way systematically across the area. Also this way you won't lose too much soil. If it's not raining where you are, you could leave the roots exposed for a while to allow the soil to dry out a bit. Then give them a good shake to loosen all the soil. You don't have to get them out, it depends on what you were thinking of planting in place of the laurels. If you are going to turf it, I wouldn't bother unless you are a lawn perfectionist.

Mojisola

Someone here - http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/forums/p/17884/18477.aspx - with the same problem. It doesn't look as if you need worry.

I don't believe the plant is as dangerous as some people think. Google "cherry laurel jam" and read some of the hits.

amcluesent

I wouldn't spend time and effort digging out stumps/roots and risk putting my back out, well worth the money to hire a man with a stump grinder. Should be about £80 per hour and their bigger machines will easily tackle all the roots in the soil.

Kay_Peel

The huge laurel hedge (reaching about 10 feet!) between my garden and my neighbours was taken out about 7 years ago. We now have a fence. The contractor didn't manage to dig out all the roots, because new shoots sprung up.

I tried an experiment along one panel of fencing. I dug around and exposed the new branches that had been growing up. I cut the new growth off. I got some old wood stain and fence paint from the shed and an old brush and I painted the stumps and any other woody bits beneath the stems. I left them for a couple of months and then piled earth on top of them. I left them for another couple of months.

There were plenty of things growing nearby, so I knew this was risky. I would have had to dig up these plants anyway if I got a professional to remove the roots - so it was a case of sit and wait, with fingers crossed.

So far this season, the laurel has not grown at all along this stretch of fence panel. So far, the other plants are growing away merrily. I'll wait until next Spring to see whether this really worked though - it's too soon to tell whether it was worth the risk.