Chainsaw or not...... ?
Discussion
Hi folks .. apologies for the "story" before the question ....
Attached picture of hedge at the side of my garden. It belongs to the school (school field beyond). When we first moved in 10 years ago, the school cut the hedges 3 times per year and kept it in check. At that point it was only just above the height of the fence. They reduced this to once per year. I have a long pole hedge trimmer to keep it in check over the summer but it really doesn't cut through anything but the small growth each year so the hedge has gradually increased in height over that time. We now want to trim it back to it's original height by taking ~ 12 inches off it.
As we were having other hedges trimmed in the garden, we asked if they could cut it back (let the professionals do it !!). He said it really needs a chainsaw to take it way back due to thickness of branches and as it didn't belong to us he wasn't willing to go at it.
The school have refused to do anything other than "trim" it once per year via their contractors (they run a tractor round the field with a cutting attachment but only really trim it). We did try asking them last year to cut it back but they only took about an extra 2 inches off !
So...I need to do it.
I'm a bit wary of chainsaws having never used one but if that's what it takes...so be it. First question, any other way of tackling the problem ?
If chainsaw it is....I don't want to fork out too much so looking at electric. There is an electric chainsaw in Screwfix for ~£50. IS that OK ? Or do I stretch to nearer £100 with a Bosch electric ?
Thanks for help in either non-chainsaw ideas or what machine to buy if that's the best option. Max budget £100.
Attached picture of hedge at the side of my garden. It belongs to the school (school field beyond). When we first moved in 10 years ago, the school cut the hedges 3 times per year and kept it in check. At that point it was only just above the height of the fence. They reduced this to once per year. I have a long pole hedge trimmer to keep it in check over the summer but it really doesn't cut through anything but the small growth each year so the hedge has gradually increased in height over that time. We now want to trim it back to it's original height by taking ~ 12 inches off it.
As we were having other hedges trimmed in the garden, we asked if they could cut it back (let the professionals do it !!). He said it really needs a chainsaw to take it way back due to thickness of branches and as it didn't belong to us he wasn't willing to go at it.
The school have refused to do anything other than "trim" it once per year via their contractors (they run a tractor round the field with a cutting attachment but only really trim it). We did try asking them last year to cut it back but they only took about an extra 2 inches off !
So...I need to do it.
I'm a bit wary of chainsaws having never used one but if that's what it takes...so be it. First question, any other way of tackling the problem ?
If chainsaw it is....I don't want to fork out too much so looking at electric. There is an electric chainsaw in Screwfix for ~£50. IS that OK ? Or do I stretch to nearer £100 with a Bosch electric ?
Thanks for help in either non-chainsaw ideas or what machine to buy if that's the best option. Max budget £100.
Having had various chainsaws over the years, I would definitely go electric these days unless you _need_ a petrol one. Petrol ones are a pig if you don't use them regularly, and are much harder work. The slight reduction in power of electric is offset by the time and effort you don't spend lugging the weight of a petrol one around and starting it every 5 minutes.
We got a Makita a couple of years back which seemed to be winning all the reviews, it was something like £150 I think, can't remember. However they do some cheaper ones, one just under the 100 so I'd maybe look there.
We got a Makita a couple of years back which seemed to be winning all the reviews, it was something like £150 I think, can't remember. However they do some cheaper ones, one just under the 100 so I'd maybe look there.
I have 4 chainsaws but would never use one for that sort of work. Far to dangerous to use off a ladder or platform!
This is my weapon of choice.......................
http://www.fiskars.co.uk/products/gardening/tree-p...
Watch the video it's a great bit of kit that cuts up to 32mm diameter. Apparently you can change the head over for a saw for anything larger though I haven't tried it.
This is my weapon of choice.......................
http://www.fiskars.co.uk/products/gardening/tree-p...
Watch the video it's a great bit of kit that cuts up to 32mm diameter. Apparently you can change the head over for a saw for anything larger though I haven't tried it.
Thanks for responses so far. The school really don't give a toss. This is the bottom corner of the bottom field about 1/4 mile from the school. I can access the other side via a crawl space behind the little gate which was in the fence when we bought the house...also handy for footballs that escape the garden !
I've been cutting it back for about 8 years....just not deep enough as I haven't got the tools.....it grows very fast in the summer and we can end up with a mass of shoots 4ft above what you see here. If I didn't cut it back it would be 10 ft tall by now, even with the annual mini-prune by the school.
One of my neighbours lopped 18 inches off about 40metres of it as he was also getting annoyed with their lack of "maintenance" of the boundary. If you look at the left of the hedge, his boundary runs "away" from my wall at 90o and you can see the difference in height. That's what I want to take it down to if possible. They'd rather we did it than them pay the contractors. I could ask him to borrow his chainsaw (he used a small electric one I think) but it's not a piece of kit I really want to "borrow". Also sounds like it's the wrong tool for the job !
I've been cutting it back for about 8 years....just not deep enough as I haven't got the tools.....it grows very fast in the summer and we can end up with a mass of shoots 4ft above what you see here. If I didn't cut it back it would be 10 ft tall by now, even with the annual mini-prune by the school.
One of my neighbours lopped 18 inches off about 40metres of it as he was also getting annoyed with their lack of "maintenance" of the boundary. If you look at the left of the hedge, his boundary runs "away" from my wall at 90o and you can see the difference in height. That's what I want to take it down to if possible. They'd rather we did it than them pay the contractors. I could ask him to borrow his chainsaw (he used a small electric one I think) but it's not a piece of kit I really want to "borrow". Also sounds like it's the wrong tool for the job !
Edited by Steve Campbell on Thursday 18th January 12:35
I have 40 metres of hedge like this , most years it's been a hedge trimmer job, last year I decided it was time to reduce the height, some of the smaller stems were done with loppers, the bigger ones ,over around 50mm dia, I did with a Jigsaw which I already had, this is Hornbeam which is quite hard but it made a grand job of it.
As stated though you do need permission unless it's hanging over your side.
boyse7en said:
Have you got permission from the school/local authority to cut the hedge back? You can't just cut someone else's hedge down because you don't like it.
You can cut back anything overhanging the boundary; no permission needed. By law you must offer the "arisings" to the hedge owner but if they decline you have to dispose of them (the arisings, not the school governors)..How about one of these :
https://www.tooled-up.com/black-decker-ps7525-pole...
Will cut through anything as is a chainsaw blade, on the end of a longish pole for reach, and also keeps the sharp whirry cutty bits away from you a bit!
https://www.tooled-up.com/black-decker-ps7525-pole...
Will cut through anything as is a chainsaw blade, on the end of a longish pole for reach, and also keeps the sharp whirry cutty bits away from you a bit!
justinio said:
Why not just collar matey on his tractor next time you see him out there cutting the other hedges in the field. If he only cut a few inches off last time, did he know how much you wanted taking off? Bung him £20 to do yours and job jobbed.
This.A tractor'll make short work of it, and if anything does crop up, you simply say "But it wasn't me - it was your contractor".
If t'were me (and it has been, and will continue to be, on various hedges), I'd be going the loppers/handsaw route, too. Getting a chainsaw in there's too much like dangerous ballache.
justinio said:
Why not just collar matey on his tractor next time you see him out there cutting the other hedges in the field. If he only cut a few inches off last time, did he know how much you wanted taking off? Bung him £20 to do yours and job jobbed.
As per last post, we tried that at the end of the summer (no money changed hands...maybe that was the problem!) but I'm not sure his "attachment" was up to the job as he didn't take it anywhere near as far as we asked and it also left a lot of "shredded" rather than cut stems. Seeing as they only now come once per year...I want to get on top of this now for next summer.Thanks for all advice....I think to be safe we'll write to the school again confirming what we are going to do...then try lopers/ saws
I’ve git a Stihl multi tool long reach hedge trimmer which also has a pruning saw attachment so can be used from the ground. Might be just the ticket for that. As others have said platform/ladder mixed with anything motorised with a cutting blade is not a good mix. You can get very stable platforms with extra splayed support legs but they are a few hundred quid.
Steve Campbell said:
As per last post, we tried that at the end of the summer (no money changed hands...maybe that was the problem!) but I'm not sure his "attachment" was up to the job as he didn't take it anywhere near as far as we asked and it also left a lot of "shredded" rather than cut stems. Seeing as they only now come once per year...I want to get on top of this now for next summer.
Yes, they do "shred" the ends rather than cut them neatly, but trust me - a flail cutter on a tractor will not be bothered by something like that. Most roadside hedges are only cut annually, too.Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff