Why would you want to remove a large bush or shrub from your yard?
If it isa prized plant, you have a great incentive to leave it alone.
The physical work involved is tiring, although the process is not complicated at all.
David Beaulieu
The real trick is in the preparation.
Here is what you better know to get the job done right and stay safe.
Do not attempt to make this determination yourself.
Instead, call 811 about three days before you want to dig out the plant.
Wear garden gloves and a long-sleeve shirt to prevent cuts to your skin when you brush up against branches.
On your legs, wear chainsaw chaps, a key in of thicker, protective pant.
Protective headphones will muffle the sound emitted by a chainsaw engine.
But of even greater importance is wearing goggles and steel-toed boots.
Goggles will protect your eyes from wood chips that the chainsaw may send hurtling at your face.
If you are working on branches above your head, wear a helmet, too.
What youdon’twear is almost as important as what you do wear.
Do not wear clothes that are loose-fitting: They could become caught in the chain of the saw.
Likewise, tie back long hair and avoid wearing dangling jewelry.
Avoiding Chainsaw Kickback
Dressing properly is just one step in operating a chainsaw safely.
You also need to know something about technique before you begin so as to avoid kickback.
Kickback is the sudden, accidental movement of the bar of the chainsaw back toward the user while cutting.
Kickback is resulting from the tip of the blade coming into contact awkwardly with a hard object.
Such contact can cause the tip to bounce wildly off the object instead of cutting into it.
Your lead arm is the left one (your left hand will hold the chainsaw handle).
For thicker branches, you will need the chainsaw.
Repeat until all of the wood is removed to within about one foot of the ground.
Keeping the work area free of obstructions is one of the keys to chainsaw safety.
The goal is to expose as much of the root system as you’ve got the option to.
What Is a Mattock?
A mattock is a garden tool with a long handle.
Think of it as part pick, part hoe, and part ax.
Mounted atop the handle is a piece of metal with two different heads.
On one end, there is a broad head for digging that slices through the soil like a hoe.
On the other end, there is a head that is sharpened and functions like an ax.
You swing a mattock like a pick.
At this point, it will have quite a bit of give to it.
However, it is rare to have a large bush or shrub come out easily.
There are probably roots you have missed that are still anchoring the plant in place.
Yank Out the Rootball
double-check you are wearing your back brace.
When the rootball seems to be loose enough, yank on it to dislodge it from its hole.
Pulling up on the stump, remove the rootball from the ground.
Brush piles draw wildlife.
That can be either good news or bad news, depending on your landscaping goals and preferences.
If you do not want or cannot have a brush pile, you may have two other options:
