How do I get rid of my hedge?
 

Hi!

I'm in the process of dismantling my hedge in the front garden, it is 18
feet long and has 5 main shoots. I have already cut back the actual hedge so
all that is left is the 'shoot's. I need to know how to get rid of these,
somebody told me to hack them as low down as possible then put Diesel on the
stumps to kill them off. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance,

Marc.

P.S. I hope this makes sense as it is 3:15am and I should have been in bed 2
hours ago .... zzzzz.

In article ,
Marc & Mel wrote:

I'm in the process of dismantling my hedge in the front garden, it is 18
feet long and has 5 main shoots. I have already cut back the actual hedge so
all that is left is the 'shoot's. I need to know how to get rid of these,
somebody told me to hack them as low down as possible then put Diesel on the
stumps to kill them off. Is this correct?

No.

P.S. I hope this makes sense as it is 3:15am and I should have been in bed 2
hours ago .... zzzzz.

Well, the English makes sense, but the gardening doesn't :-)

It depends on what the hedge is and whether you can get at the roots.
The best solution is to dig up the roots - with a grub-axe (pick-mattock),
removing 5 privet stumps should take less than an hour even for someone
inexperienced. DON'T cut the stumps short if you are going to do this,
as you use them for leverage.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In message , Marc & Mel
writes
Hi!

I'm in the process of dismantling my hedge in the front garden, it is 18
feet long and has 5 main shoots.

5 stumps I guess that means?

I have already cut back the actual hedge so
all that is left is the 'shoot's. I need to know how to get rid of these,
somebody told me to hack them as low down as possible then put Diesel on the
stumps to kill them off. Is this correct?

Diesel is not the correct thing at all.

1. it won't do the soil much good (as well as being technically illegal
I guess)

2. It probably won't work well anyway.

The answer depends on what sort of tree/shrub formed the hedge - conifer
or deciduous and what do you intend to do with the land afterwards. e.g.
if you want to put up a fence then you probably need to remove the
stumps. In this case get you self a mattock and a spade and away you go.
I would probably do this anyway - 5 stumps, unless we are talking great
big tree stumps won't be too bad job

Assuming you don't need to do the latter, then yes, cut down the stems
close to the ground. If the tree's are conifer then usually they will
not regrow and can just be left to rot away if that doesn't cause any
problems.

If they are deciduous then they will normally regrow - it's how
coppicing works - they will need removing or killing. If you want to do
the latter you can buy 'stump Killer' from garden centres and hardware
shops - just follow the instructions.

--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Marc & Mel wrote:

I'm in the process of dismantling my hedge in the front garden, it is 18
feet long and has 5 main shoots. I have already cut back the actual hedge
so
all that is left is the 'shoot's. I need to know how to get rid of these,
somebody told me to hack them as low down as possible then put Diesel on
the
stumps to kill them off. Is this correct?

No.

P.S. I hope this makes sense as it is 3:15am and I should have been in
bed 2
hours ago .... zzzzz.

Well, the English makes sense, but the gardening doesn't :-)

It depends on what the hedge is and whether you can get at the roots.
The best solution is to dig up the roots - with a grub-axe (pick-mattock),
removing 5 privet stumps should take less than an hour even for someone
inexperienced. DON'T cut the stumps short if you are going to do this,
as you use them for leverage.

I got rid of the privet hedge in my front garden some years ago in a rather
run to do way. I attached a nylon rope around the stem of each one, then to
the towbar of my car and yanked it out in a trice. Easy peasy, great fun and
nothing ever grew back :0)

"w.g.s.hamm" wrote:

attached a nylon rope around the stem of each one, then to
the towbar of my car and yanked it out in a trice.

I love "out of the box" thinking!

Somewhat off-topic, but when crews in my area needed to clear forest for a
canal, they invented a stump puller. Mind you this was 100+ years ago, and
the motive power was horses. Two bit wheels, perhaps eight feed in
diameter, with chains around the outside perimeter, hooked to a horse team.
Chain wound around the axle between, perhaps 1 foot in diameter. Haul the
thing over a stump, hook the central chain to same, and give the team a
nudge, and ought it comes.
There's a town west of me named "Rome," founded by some of the many
stonemasons imported for the project. At the time, Italy was the place to
go. I guess Hadrian's crew was long gone by then.

Bright sunny day in the American colonies, and I'm already behind schedule
in garden projects...

Cheers!


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

Gary Woods wrote:

Two bit wheels, perhaps eight feed

big.......feet....

Which must have been what I was typing with.
Next time I'll finish my coffee.

Ham radio types use "Q" signals to shorten common items; an unofficial one
is QLF: "Try sending with your _left_ foot.

Been following the rotovator around; feels good!


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G