When a shrub has become less than aesthetically appealing or has grown out of control, it may become necessary to remove it. Many landscaping companies specialize in tree stump and large shrub removal, or you can accomplish this task yourself.
Find a Good Shrub Removal Service
If you decide to use a professional service to remove your shrub, choosing a good company to do it is important. There are a few tips to keep in mind when shopping around.
- Liability Insurance
Insurance is very expensive for companies that provide tree and shrub removal services. This is due mostly to property damage and personal injury. Workers compensation insurance is just as important as property insurance when dealing with these companies; you don’t want it to fall to your homeowner’s insurance if an employee gets hurt on your property. Some of the less ethical companies will tell their customers that they are insured, when in fact they are not. A reputable company will provide proof of all insurance. If it is not offered, be sure to ask for this proof.
- Knowledgeable Employees
Any employee sent to your property to assess the situation and give a quote should be knowledgeable of the trees, shrubs, and other plants in the area. If these employees do not know their stuff, how will they be able to properly do the job that you pay them to do?
- Contract in Writing
Any decent company will automatically have a contract, in writing, for you to sign. This contract should not only include things such as price, but what will happen if your property is damaged or if someone is injured.
Shrub Removal For the Do-It-Yourselfers
There are a number of reasons that you may decide to remove an unwanted shrub yourself. Homeowners often choose to go this route due to the expense of many professional shrub removal companies, or because of the lack of these companies.
Although removing a bush or shrub may seem difficult, it’s really much easier than expected. Most small shrubs can be dug out of the ground with a shovel or spade. If a shrub is large or stubborn, it will most likely require a little more force.
For these shrubs, in addition to a shovel, you’ll need a couple more items. A truck would be ideal for pulling out a shrub, but a lawn tractor will do in a pinch. You’ll also need a long chain or tow strap.
1. Planning out the route of the truck and the placement of the chain is important. ideally, a truck should always be on pavement when pulling out a shrub, since ripping up your lawn isn’t exactly your goal here. Also, make sure that the chain will not interfere with any obstacles during the process.
2. Use a shovel to remove the dirt from around the root system of the shrub.
3. Wrap the chain around the bottom of the shrub. Make sure it doesn’t touch the ground, and wrap it up the shrub until it is about level with where you will be hooking the chain to the truck.
4. Back the truck up to the chain, and hook the chain to the truck. It would be best to hook it to a tow hitch, since some of the more stubborn shrubs can bend the bumper of a truck.
5. Slowly drive the truck forward until the chain is taunt and stop.
6. Dig out more soil behind the shrub, and chop as many roots as possible. Use the blade of the shovel, an axe, or large pruning shears.
7. Slowly pull the truck forward. If the shrub starts coming out of the ground, keep going until it’s completely out. If not, you’ll need to repeat step six, and try driving forward again.
8. Fill the gaping hole with the soil dug out from around the shrub and topsoil.
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