Hi all,
Just been to do a site visit to quote on some panel fencing with concrete posts and the customer wants the fencing run to replace an 12 m exisitng mature privet hedge up to 5m high with trunk diameters around 15 cm. This is to secure garden as pet puppy is getting through hedge (rest of garden boundaries fenced it is a very urban area).
I suggested keeping hedge and trimming to suitable height and fencing inside up to 4 ' to 5' but customer wants hedge completely removed !
It would seem straight forward enough to cut to ground level and treat, but a pain to fence over the top - any suggestions on how to tackle?
I'm thinking along the lines of buzzing to ground level with chainsaw, pullback/remove soil around stumps and stumpgrind to a level below finished ground then treatment of stumps and root stems and final back fill ?
Would be a shame to grub out as I have seen bird nest remnants in the hedge but customer hates hedges! (when does bird breeding officially start anybody? )
Anyone with advice some pointers on privet hedge removal this would be appreciated as I havent removed hedges yet in my fencing work.
thanks
Alex
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I would have thought this would be a job for a minidigger really. Cut to ground level first and then excavate. Obviously, will take a fair amount of soil to back fill, and you'll have a few bare root privets to re-use. I'd be surprised if a privet would be worth stumpgrinding unless it is incredibly mature. Fencing over the top of stumps wouldn't really be practical unless the individual plants are spaced quite widely.
Well done for trying to convince the customer to keep the hedge - they are a much better solution than a fence. "doesn't like hedges" miserable git. Realistically, a simple chicken wire & post barrier would stop the chuffing puppy. We are pretty much in bird nesting season now, they will be scoping out sites and beginning to nest towards the end of the month.
Just a personal recommendation; having done similar with a .8T mini digger, leave 12-24 inches of stump above ground. You will find you can 'work' the stump with the bucket and use the physics of "leverage" to help loosen it...
However, if you're talking about 1.5T or larger you may be able to scoop out root-balls in a couple of goes.....
Shame fence can't go in behind the hedge - so much nicer to look at greenery than fences and garden looks less 'defined'......
Nesting season started yesterday and runs through until the end of july.. although in reality it potentially could start and or finish later dependant on conditions etc.
As above it seems a shame to lose the hedge but if the customer wants it removing then that can't be helped.. As Gary said try to create as much leverage as possible as this will save no end of time.
Yes, I agree with Gary, it's a shame that the customer will not listen to an alternative. We have come across a similar problem, but managed to persuade the customer to 'go the green route'. that was giving the hedge a good shape and trim and then installing low chain link fence, with knocked in angle iron supports, which are now all but invisible. I was happy, birds were happy, the insects were happy.....oh and the customer was happy as well!
I hate it when perfectly good hedges are removed. It takes so long for hedges to establish and they add great variety and wildlife benefit to the garden.
Some customer love the garden so bland these days. I had a puppy and no way would I be ripping out a perfectly good hedge. Ah well at least you tried to advise the customer.
It always amazes me how important hedges are for wildlife, in both rural and urban areas, acting as corridors of cover and habitat for all kinds of species. In urban areas especially, they are a really efficient use of space. A plague on this customer! Just read that it's 5m high and 15cm stumps...maybe they are just overwhelmed by it as it is and can't see the "hedge for the trees" so to speak?
Thanks everyone for your advice and comments.. as mentioned is a shame the customer is adamant on having the hedge removed. Like Doug said they are seem overwhelmed by it - the hedge has got at least 6 metres high (though clearly regrowth shoots so have been pruned before) in places and up to a metre thick in places. It is fairly mature with trunks up to 15cm (I will try and put a pic on here if I can)
I too I hate to see bland and unatural backyards especially when corridors for local wildife are removed - they have it hard enought as it is ! I for one love a nice hedge, songbirds seem to love privet too as it quite dense.
I will look into mini digger hire and grub out using roots for leverage as recommended..Or have another go at convincing customet to keep it. In two minds whther to do it aswell from a conservation point of view. chain link fence could be an indea as hedge will grow over in time.
thanks
Alex