Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or articulated hedge trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it difficult to be up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

On Sep 13, 4:23*pm, Kath wrote:
Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or articulated hedge trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it difficult to be up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available fromwww.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

I'll take it you mean petrol ones. They take a bit of getting used to.
What's more, they can't cope with what the standard hedge cutters can
deal with; this means that they can break; which can be very
expensive.
They come into their own in awkward places, like say between hedges,
or where access to height in hampered from lack of width for a ladder,
or where one side of the hedge meets a steep slope.
Their extra reach doesn't turn out to be as great as you might expect.
tis is because of the position of the handle or grip and the need to
maintain control over its balance.

I have a step ladder which I bought in the UK . It comes with a little
platform which I use to create a mini scaffolding.
maybe such a portable platform would be better for you.

"Kath" wrote
Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or articulated hedge
trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it difficult to be
up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.

A neighbour has a Stihl one, the separate engine and then you buy the
accessories you want type, that he uses for a very large Beech hedge. He
reckons is excellent.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Kath" wrote
Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or articulated hedge
trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it difficult to be
up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.

A neighbour has a Stihl one, the separate engine and then you buy the
accessories you want type, that he uses for a very large Beech hedge. He
reckons is excellent.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London


Hi, I have a Flymo Sabre which is cordless and you carry a 12v rechargeable
battery pack, which is quite heavy, but you have a harness to carry it over
your shoulder.I've found it very good for the 'higher hedge' and it has the
advantage of interchangeable implements i.e. strimmer,saw and a few other
bits that escape me at the moment!!
Andy

On Sep 13, 4:23*pm, Kath wrote:
Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or articulated
hedge trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it difficult to
be up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.

As someone else has said, if the hedge is not too high, a platform is a
good solution. It's a lot less 'exposed' than a step ladder, more
stable, and you can do a longer length of hedge before moving it. I've
gone that route instead of long each hedge trimmer because I find with
other long reach tools it's difficult to keep control - the centre of
gravity is too far away.
--
Kay

"Kath" wrote in message
...
Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or articulated hedge
trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it difficult to be
up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

They're very good, in circumstances where normal access is difficult. They
are also proportionately more difficult to control to achieve straightness,
since bodily movements are magnified by the distance away from their source.
They are also good for muscular development for the same reason.

"Kath" wrote in message
...
Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or
articulated hedge trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it
difficult to be up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.

I have a 4 in one long reach 2 stroke machine that includes a
hedgecutter. Its OK but a bit unwieldy and not as good at cutting
thick stuff as my dedicated hedgecutter. Having said that it is
very good for trimming the yews and I use it a lot. The problem
is that at that distance it is not easy to get a neat cut, and
the cutter bar is quite short.

Mike

On Sun, 13 Sep 2009 19:31:53 +0100, "Muddymike" wrote:


"Kath" wrote in message
.. .
Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or
articulated hedge trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it
difficult to be up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.


Snip

Thank youfor all your very informative replies. It gives me a lot to think about. The
neatness is not very important in the place it is but the weight and drag on my arms and
shoulders may be. The expense of a 'platform' is to be thought out too but it is good to
consider.

Thanks.
Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

On 13 Sep, 20:17, Kath wrote:
On Sun, 13 Sep 2009 19:31:53 +0100, "Muddymike" wrote:

"Kath" wrote in message
.. .
Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or
articulated hedge trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it
difficult to be up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.

Snip

Thank youfor all your very informative replies. It gives me a lot to think about. The
neatness is not very important in the place it is but the weight and drag on my arms and
shoulders may be. The expense of a 'platform' is to be thought out too but it is good to
consider.

Thanks.
Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available fromwww.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

You don't say how much hedge you have to cut and its height.
I have a Stihl Strimmer and have the hedge cutter, chainsaw atachments
for it,
It makes my arms ache quite quickly but I am cutting around 3/4 of a
mile of hedge in all. but not at the same time, I can cut to around
10ft or so and as tou can angle the blade you can cut quite well into
the top of the hedge.
I wouldnt be without it,
Cut a bit then clear as a rest for the arms, then cut some more.
Once you get used to ot it cuts as well as the petrol hedge trimmer,
and with practice you can cutfinger thick or a bit more.
David Hill

Kath I did have a Ryobi 2 in 1 (strimmer and hedge cutter). It had a long reach but I am quite a strong guy and frankly it may prove too much. Also it gave poor results and eventually broke after two seasons of use. I have now an expensive Stihl strimmer and long handled shears, and a wide based step-ladder, that can convert to a platform.

Good quality shears will cost almost as much as the cheaper machines, and also one must remember some of these beasts can be the very devil to start.

"NewGardener" wrote in message
...

Hi, this issue is driving me a little nuts and as i do not have green
fingers I have joined this group and hopefully have posted in the right
forum.

The previous owners of our house laid down an area of hardcore (stones,
earth, around 10mx10m) and over time some grass, weeds, earth have
accumulated. From our first year we have had this algae/seaweed
'growing' on top of the area. It has a slimy texture, green, cresent
shaped nodules growing in bunches that join to form mats over the whole
area. None of our neighbours have it with similar terrain/drainage
issues.

It does not grow on the 'grassed' areas but on mud, mosses, stone
areas.

We usually scrap it up in shovels (unfortunately the hardcore is porous
and difficult to brush/scrap) and we have thought about putting down
bleach. Bleach certainly kills it but obviously not a good solution,
but no water course near to us. Also we would prefer a solution that
inhibits regrowth.

Firstly: What is it? And what can we do to get rid of it?

Many thanks
Grape

Sounds a bit like liverwort. Look up some pictures on Google Images. There
are herbicides easily available that will kill liverwort but from the way
you describe your plot of land it will come back eventually.

You don't say what you want to do with the area. If it is to be planted then
you need to dig out the rubbish and lay topsoil. If it is to be paved then
kill everything with Sodium chlorate before laying the pavings. Don't leave
it as it is because it obviously an eyesore.

HTH
R.

NewGardener wrote:
Hi, this issue is driving me a little nuts and as i do not have green
fingers I have joined this group and hopefully have posted in the right
forum.

The previous owners of our house laid down an area of hardcore (stones,
earth, around 10mx10m) and over time some grass, weeds, earth have
accumulated. From our first year we have had this algae/seaweed
'growing' on top of the area. It has a slimy texture, green, cresent
shaped nodules growing in bunches that join to form mats over the whole
area. None of our neighbours have it with similar terrain/drainage
issues.

I think a picture might be worth a thousand words here.

Some of the sedums a few of which are rather invasive sort of fit your
description. They tend to thrive on well drained areas and hardcore but
will also block gutters. I can't think of one with cresent shaped leaf
nodules most are oval or egg shaped. They grow as mats with a thin stem
and small fat leaves. They flower and spread by seed.

It does not grow on the 'grassed' areas but on mud, mosses, stone
areas.

We usually scrap it up in shovels (unfortunately the hardcore is porous
and difficult to brush/scrap) and we have thought about putting down
bleach. Bleach certainly kills it but obviously not a good solution,
but no water course near to us. Also we would prefer a solution that
inhibits regrowth.

Firstly: What is it? And what can we do to get rid of it?

If there is no risk of runoff then sodium chlorate is as good as
anything for a quick weedkill on a hardcore path.

Regards,
Martin Brown

On Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:41:57 -0700 (PDT), Dave Hill wrote:

snip

Available fromwww.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

You don't say how much hedge you have to cut and its height.
I have a Stihl Strimmer and have the hedge cutter, chainsaw atachments
for it,
It makes my arms ache quite quickly but I am cutting around 3/4 of a
mile of hedge in all. but not at the same time, I can cut to around
10ft or so and as tou can angle the blade you can cut quite well into
the top of the hedge.
I wouldnt be without it,
Cut a bit then clear as a rest for the arms, then cut some more.
Once you get used to ot it cuts as well as the petrol hedge trimmer,
and with practice you can cutfinger thick or a bit more.
David Hill

Thanks for that, David, it is very helpful. I only have about 30 feet of hedge I want to
keep to 6 feet maximum, but when they need cutting it is too far to reach for me. I may be
able to manage with what you say.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

On Sep 13, 9:17*pm, Kath wrote:
On Sun, 13 Sep 2009 19:31:53 +0100, "Muddymike" wrote:

"Kath" wrote in message
.. .
Has anyone had any experience of either long-reach or
articulated hedge trimmers? Are they
any good? I am very unsteady on step ladders and find it
difficult to be up there and use
trimmers so I always miss a lot at the top of the hedge.

Snip

Thank youfor all your very informative replies. It gives me a lot to think about. The
neatness is not very important in the place it is but the weight and drag on my arms and
shoulders may be. The expense of a 'platform' is to be thought out too but it is good to
consider.

Thanks.
Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available fromwww.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

BTW, How's your neck; With the long reach thingy you'll find yourself
looking up , stressed, for a considerable amount of time than you
might ordinarily do. It can become a niggle.
Since the Stihl has been mentioned. Ye^p, now that one does seem to be
the best, though I speak from only one short duration try out.

On Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:32:11 -0700 (PDT), aquachimp
wrote:

Thank youfor all your very informative replies. It gives me a lot to think about. The
neatness is not very important in the place it is but the weight and drag on my arms and
shoulders may be. The expense of a 'platform' is to be thought out too but it is good to
consider.

Thanks.
Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available fromwww.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

BTW, How's your neck; With the long reach thingy you'll find yourself
looking up , stressed, for a considerable amount of time than you
might ordinarily do. It can become a niggle.
Since the Stihl has been mentioned. Ye^p, now that one does seem to be
the best, though I speak from only one short duration try out.

It does get a bit sore when I do certain things but with hedge trimming it is usually my
hands with juggling the 3 switches to keep it going! :-)

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops