Hedge trimmer

[didireallysaythat]

OK so I may be pushing my luck - I've had such great advice here that I'll chance it..

I've a monster privet hedge that needs 6 feet off (height) and 4 feet (depth) as well as holly, 12 foot beech hedge that needs a haircut, a small length of leylandii and about 20 feet of small leaved evergreen hedge. I don't think a cordless hedge cutter will have enough oompf. I hate corded things. I'm thinking petrol. Hedge trimmer or chainsaw ? Brand ? Model ?

Any advice gratefully received. I could get someone to trim the privet back and then try and stay on top of it I guess. But I've still got the other hedges to do.

The major surgery on your privet will require loppers and secateurs, because you'll be cutting through substantial branches. A hedge trimmer literally won't cut it. But it's a very satisfying job and the hedge will thank you for it! I'm in the process of doing a similar job to a long yew hedge; it's hard work but enjoyable.

Can't recommend a hedge trimmer for the rest sorry as I either do it retro with shears or get someone in (for the Leylandiis).

Rhubarb you've confirmed what I feared ! I was hoping to be lazy. I'm hoping this is the right time of the year to tackle the privet. You can only get to half of the garage door because the previous owners weren't big believers in pruning (12 foot winter jasmine hedge anyone?)

I've used shears on the leylandii which worked well. I guess I'm just going to have to cut back a couple off feet and then get the ladders out with the loppers.

I'll make a start this weekend... The green bun was emptied today - should be able to get about a foot of hedge trimmings in there ! I burnt 45 feet of privet hedge over the winter - I'm not sure I can face a born fire every night again..

Well it is the perfect time of year at least. Good luck with it!

Wouldn't you be better off investing in a shredder, at least you can get a fair amount of privet into the green bin, and shred and compost the rest?

Incidentally, wilkos have got a pair of ratchet loppers on sale at the moment, for £19. I bought one last year, and another two this year, for my students and volunteers...I teach hort and have a huge community garden to manage...having three of these means I have one for school and two at the gardens and they make light work of all the pruning we have to do.

Funky are non commercial shredders any good ? We borrowed a black and decker electric one when we had the first privet hedge down. In 6 hours I burnt more in the incinerator than the shredder coped with (it tangled a lot).

I think I'll start with loppers and put it in a builder's bag for the tip (I forgot that the green bin is full of pampus grass prunings)...

Pampas and privet - sounds like my idea of hell. We are in the middle of trying to tame half a mile of hawthorn but at least we can use that in our pizza oven and wood burners for fuel.

I agree that you need to do some by hand especially the sturdier bits. But if you do consider a bit of machinery we've got a Bosch battery hedge trimmer which I would highly recommend. We got it because the petrol one the previous owners of our house gave was highly temperamental & slightly terrifying. Manually cutting the hedges isn't really an option as our garden is approximately 150m x 80m with hedges on all 4 sides and in the middle - which is an awful lot of hedge.
We have used it to remove some sturdy but horrible bushes, trim & shape the hedging & cut back some neglected shrubbery. It's worked well on all of these. We have two batteries so one can charge whilst we use the other.

Thank you wonky - I'm now eyeing up hedgetrimmers on Amazon. I'm guessing yours is a Bach AHS 54-20 as it charges so quickly. It does have good reviews...

We have an electric Makita hedge trimmer, uh6580 as it was one of the more powerful ones, and it works a treat, iirc it cuts up to 25mm branches and we have never had any trouble at all with it with our privet hedge, I nearly chopped my finger off with it once but it was my fault.

To get started on your job though I think I would start off using a small chainsaw the once it's getting there change to a hedge trimmer. I agree with the comments about the small shredders you can get, they are useless and slow.

OK. I did 1 metre of privet. It's 2m+ deep to get back to the main trunks and its 3m+ tall (it's 5m at the back but I can't reach that far back until I sort out the front). Took 15 mins. Filled the green bin. Only another 14m to go. I may have to hire a shredder as I can't see how I'm going to get rid of the waste (30 mins to the tip plus you can't get a lot in a fiesta with a toddler on the backseat too).

I think I need a 'man' with a chainsaw and a chipper...

Yes it sounds like it I would be worthwhile getting someone in to do it and get rid of I all the waste for you at the same time.

When dealing with privet, I assume I need to take some of the trunks down to the ground to encourage green growth (aka hedge!) Otherwise what I've got is 3m of brown with 50cm of green on the top ? Or will it spontaneously shot at the front, understanding my landscaping plans ???

Funky hawthorn would be my idea of a heavenly hedge. We replaced 15m of privet with hornbeam (wanted a slower growing east wind tolerant barrier). But I can't get a digger in to rip out the current hedge because of pipes and cables.

When dealing with privet, I assume I need to take some of the trunks down to the ground to encourage green growth (aka hedge!) Otherwise what I've got is 3m of brown with 50cm of green on the top ? Or will it spontaneously shot at the front, understanding my landscaping plans ???

Funky hawthorn would be my idea of a heavenly hedge. We replaced 15m of privet with hornbeam (wanted a slower growing east wind tolerant barrier). But I can't get a digger in to rip out the current hedge because of pipes and cables.

Yes your privet will sprout out sideways, don't worry. It is a slow job. I have been at my yew hedge for four weeks now; I have been doing an hour and half every Sunday morning and lugging all the choppings down to the bottom of the garden (a bit of a trek) then burning them in a big bonfire each evening. Might bonfires work for you?

Oh and after you've finished, make sure you water and mulch your hedge to help it to regenerate quickly.

I spent every weekend in November, December and January burning the privet hedge we had removed - I only have an incinerator but I would light it at noon and it would still be going at 6... It stings your eyes horribly... So I'm not sure I can face it but I may change my mind ! The neighbour is going to start the attack from his side next weekend and I really need to get it pruned back as I need to clear the drive to allow the gas line to be installed...

Honestly, the people before us had a great garden, lovely plants but something against pruning. I've 6 trees where 50% of the branches are crossed and rubbing. In the wind they groan like they hurt...there ought to be a law against it. Wilful neglect of a garden. Terrible offense !