Beefy hedge shears

[ATH]

I know there are some expert hedge trimmers here. We have a tree client who I let him talk me into caring for his taxus hedge as well. It's about 6" over the sidewalk. We've been working on it for probably 3 years now trying to thin enough to spur some inner growth.

Well, this is the year we've been working towards. Time to take it back. I have Milwaukee's regular M18 (and quick connect on a pole) hedge trimmers. I'm not sure they will get through 3/4"-1" wood that we need to do.

Should I just plan to rent a Stihl shear? Other recommendations? I mean, we could chainsaw them. He might not even care. He knows they are going to look a little rough but really needs them to come back. I kinda don't want my name next to that on Main St. LOL.

 

[colb]

How does Taxus do if it is cut past the most interior foliage?

 

[Boomslang]

How does Taxus do if it is cut past the most interior foliage?

Not well in my experiences, especially if it's the sides. I usually tell people if I trim it back to sticks they're gonna have a stick hedge.

I know there are some expert hedge trimmers here. We have a tree client who I let him talk me into caring for his taxus hedge as well. It's about 6" over the sidewalk. We've been working on it for probably 3 years now trying to think enough to spur some inner growth.

Well, this is the year we've been working towards. Time to take it back. I have Milwaukee's regular M18 (and quick connect on a pole) hedge trimmers. I'm not sure they will get through 3/4"-1" wood that we need to do.

Should I just plan to rent a Stihl shear? Other recommendations? I mean, we could chainsaw them. He might not even care. He knows they are going to look a little rough but really needs them to come back. I kinda don't want my name next to that on Main St. LOL.

I find the electric trimmers don't have the oomph to get through thick stuff. I have the Husky battery trimmer and it doesn't like twigs over 1/2". I can do the odd thicker stem by "whacking" it with the trimmer, but if you're doing a whole hedge like that I'd rent a gas one for the day.

 

[islandarb]

Fuck yo hedge. Sorry not sorry. I run.

 

[ATH]

How does Taxus do if it is cut past the most interior foliage?

Not to start an argument with @Boomslang ... but they are one of the few evergreens that can sprout new green on the inside old growth when exposed. These do face west, so we have that going for us.

Owner is fully on board. No, check that....he's driving the ship. I'm tentatively hanging on LOL.

 

[Boomslang]

Not to start an argument with @Boomslang ... but they are one of the few evergreens that can sprout new green on the inside old growth when exposed. These do face west, so we have that going for us.

Owner is fully on board. No, check that....he's driving the ship. I'm tentatively hanging on LOL.

No argument necessary. I submit. I got my names crossed and mixed Taxus with another genus. You are correct they can sprout from nearly anywhere.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

What species?

In this area Taxus can become a tall wide hedge that’s thin and airy down low

When faced with rejuvenation I’d prune HARD with loppers and handsaws. More than once I drove away being embarrassed. But for the most part it works. I had Taxus side branches 4-6 feet stubbed at 2” tips left. Not one needle. After spring growth. Those bare sticks were thick w regrowth.

Never tried using hedgers on large wood

 

[Neill]

I’d forget the shears and use a battery saw with a new chain- or a really well filed one, loppers, handsaw , and a ladder.

 

[Njdelaney]

I have also seen Taxus butchered and it charges back. I think you actually get better results taking it back to 1" wood than if you made smaller cuts.

 

[ATH]

I’d forget the shears and use a battery saw with a new chain- or a really well filed one, loppers, handsaw , and a ladder.

Fortunately, no ladder needed! These are only about 40" tall. He wants them to come down as well...but more important to get them back a little. Street View screen shot...its from July. You can see some of the holes we punched in them trying to get sunlight in. It's hard to tell from this pic, but they are out over that curb. He wants them completely behind the curb, but I'm not sure about that...we'll at least get half way.
He'd like them all to be the same size as the younger one on the right.

So back to your other recommendations: I'm not opposed to sharp battery saw. We've made the holes in there with hand pruners so expect to make more cuts with those. I'll have handsaws there too - but don't imagine a lot of use wanting to maintain the branch structure.

 

[SeanRuel]

IMO, you havent opened the structure enough yet If you want it to still be green after heavy shearing

I've used echo gas shears that would gnaw thru 1 inch stuff. I'd also personally follow the heavy shearing with loppers or saw to clean up the nastiest stubbed off cuts. cutting back to secondary branches if possible will greatly help maintaining the hedge going forward

 

[evo]

Most taxus will break bud from bare wood and also stumpsprout easily. They are one of the few conifers I feel comfortable with going super agro on. Avoid hotter full sun times as interior will burn.
As for 3/4-1” diameter stuff avoid hedging shears of any kind, if it can cut through it, you will butcher the crap out of the cuts. If you do it anyway think of it like a face cut/back cut with a little off the sides of the cut too.
Best to use pole pruners or a hand saw from inside the hedge or off a ladder. Make your big cuts first and detail with the power hedgers.
Whatever time you think it will take, double it, or triple and take a day off the following day. That shit will ruin you (or crew).

Alternatively ’f- yo hedge’

 

[ATH]

...
Whatever time you think it will take, double it, or triple and take a day off the following day. That shit will ruin you (or crew).

Alternatively ’f- yo hedge’

Fortunately, we can bill by the hour as long as we treat them fairly he's got no problem with taking time to do it.

He's a good client (did I mention we can bill by the hour?) with several properties and he cares about his trees. Otherwise, I'd probably agree with the later statement. If he didn't care, the hedge would be ripped out...he wants to keep it, but needs it off a sidewalk that sees heavy use at times (OK...that's laughable if you are in a big city! - but still, it can be in a little in the way sometimes) and so snow clearing equipment can get down the sidewalk without tearing it up.

 

[evo]

Fortunately, we can bill by the hour as long as we treat them fairly he's got no problem with taking time to do it.

He's a good client (did I mention we can bill by the hour?) with several properties and he cares about his trees. Otherwise, I'd probably agree with the later statement. If he didn't care, the hedge would be ripped out...he wants to keep it, but needs it off a sidewalk that sees heavy use at times (OK...that's laughable if you are in a big city! - but still, it can be in a little in the way sometimes) and so snow clearing equipment can get down the sidewalk without tearing it up.

Time it just before the growing season, it’s going to potentially look rough, but will start filling in when it spurts

 

[ATH]

IMO, you havent opened the structure enough yet If you want it to still be green after heavy shearing

I've used echo gas shears that would gnaw thru 1 inch stuff. I'd also personally follow the heavy shearing with loppers or saw to clean up the nastiest stubbed off cuts. cutting back to secondary branches if possible will greatly help maintaining the hedge going forward

That was July...we had done that work in April. There is some decent green starting on the inside. I'd probably rather keep poking away for another couple of years, but he's decided it is time. And as others have said, Yew can take it more than anything else.

I like your suggestion of going back through to clean up cuts. After reading suggestions here, I'm thinking current plan is to try M18 Milwaukee chainsaw with a brand new chain. The rental place is maybe a mile down the road from the job site so I can go grab gas shears if need be.

Timing target: March. As soon as it looks like there are no 20 (F) days left on the long-term forecast.

 

[Bart_]

Word of warning - don't force too many big cuts on your hedge trimmer head as eventually you'll crack a tooth off a drive gear or similar. Ask me how I know this

 

[RyanCafferky]

I second Tom’s suggestion of loppers and hand saw. Slow and steady wins the race. The quality of cuts will be much higher than with other methods and will yield a product that can be sheared in future visits.

 

[islandarb]

I second Tom’s suggestion of loppers and hand saw. Slow and steady wins the race. The quality of cuts will be much higher than with other methods and will yield a product that can be sheared in future visits.

When I do occasional hedges it is with chainsaw, loppers, pruner and handsaw. All clean cuts. Time consuming no doubt but better results .

 

[Neill]

Any experience on topiaries anyone? I’ve always wanted to try one- I mean sure I can carve some standard shapes but nothing that impressive. I think that row of taxus would look cool if it were cloud pruned!

I’ve been digging the battery husky for this kind of work lately. I can definitely make clean cuts with it, or down size the tool if some branches are too small for it. Chain out of the box can be too grabby for this stuff sometimes, I hope the one with your Milwaukee is smooth.

 

[Matias]

I am following this closely, as I wanna have a lot of this in memory when the time comes. I planted a row of leyland cypress- I know, I know- and they are 4'-7' tall, and I will soon start a thread seeking to understand different folks approach to starting them down a good path.