Very large shrub removal

Heather_S · « **on:** September 19, 2006, 12:23 »

We have these three horrible shrubs on our plot. They're huge (3-4 ft high and wide). I tried taking out the weedy looking one of the bunch yesterday... saw + secatures to make it less shrubby then shovel and fork to try to get it out along with lots of water to make the ground loosen up. It's wiggling around a bit but I can't seem to pry it out of the ground. I think I'll have to look for one of the metal poles we have on the site to try to get it out.
Does anyone have any good suggestions for removing giant shrubs? We don't have a car so we can't pull them out that way.

John · « **Reply #1 on:** September 20, 2006, 09:35 »

Tricky - last time I removed a big shrub, I dug as much as I could and used a spade to cut the roots.

Heather_S · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2006, 22:02 »

Crumbs. We levered it out but now we can't move it anywhere because it's too heavy. DH suggested burning it in situ but I don't think it will all burn cuz there's still quite a lot of dirt on it. Arugh. I hate shrubs!!! :evil:

John · « **Reply #3 on:** September 22, 2006, 00:08 »

Have you got an axe?

noshed · « **Reply #4 on:** September 22, 2006, 20:49 »

May be a job for a big mattock

shaun · « **Reply #5 on:** September 22, 2006, 22:34 »

heather tie a rope around the base of the shrub and tie the other end to your car and go for it

failing that get digging and chopping

Heather_S · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2006, 22:39 »

Quote from: "shaun"

heather tie a rope around the base of the shrub and tie the other end to your car and go for it
failing that get digging and chopping

See the last sentance of my original post. No. car.
Not sure if it's worth getting a big mattock for. No axe, we live in a flat in the centre of a london suburb above an italian restaurant - why the hey would we need an axe?! :shock:

Guess it sounds like i'll need to buy yet another tool and probably one I'm only going to use once :? It'll wait until the shed's done. I'll drag the root ball over or something and get started on soil cultivation.

shaun · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2006, 22:47 »

ok a tractor then

shaun · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2006, 08:09 »

you could hire or borrow a 2 ton block and tackle fasten each end to a shrub and pull away,one will give in ,keep doing this until you have one left,if you have a large tree to tie it up then thats even better,there is nothing as bad as digging shrubs and trees out by hand ,a real back breaker.

chutneymaster · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2006, 10:41 »

Go to your local hire shop an hire a 'Turfor'. It's a small hand operated winch. All you need to do is bang a steel spike into the ground, anchor the turfor to it .....cable around the shrub and winch it out. The hire shop will explain how to use it........ got rid of several unwanted shrubs using this technique.

James · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2006, 15:24 »

Burn it. Leave it a month or two to dessicate so that there is less water in the leaves etc. Get hold of a couple of broken pallets and have a fire - the other timber will get it going and keep it going. Much the easiest way - if you cannot lift it. If the fire burns out and you have shrub left, then get hold of some bigger (thicker) bits of wood and have another fire. Great fun!

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