Newbie tree removal question

[gazh1983]

Hi all I cut my elderly woman neighbours lawn and last time she mentioned she wanted me to cut down three small trees/shrubs (around 4 ft tall) that have been yellowed from the roots up (basically slowly dying) by cat's urine she believes. She wants me to take them down then remove the roots.

I don't want to make a complete mess of this, so whats the best option? Saw at the root then dig down? What should I do to the turf after etc?

Emabrrisnlgy, I don't know the species of trees, they're those really common generic evergreen ones that border walls and hedges everywhere in the UK with slightly pungent "leaves".

Many thanks!

[lannerman]

Hi Gazh, Please DONT cut it down first to ground level, I see this mistake being made all the time ! The reason being is that if you cut it down first, you then have nothing to 'tug' on as you dig it out. I would be very suprised if it has indeed been killed by cat urine ?? Its possible but I think, unless this neighbour has 30 tom cats ?? If thats the case, I'm sure that as soon as you start to dig, you would smell it ? Anyway, sharpen your spade with a file, lay on the lawn a sheet of polythene and cut out a nice neat square (size will depend on the state of the grass under the tree) I would think about 18" should be big enough and dig around the tree, cutting the roots as you go. Eventually you will find that by pulling on the tree and lifting with the spade the tree will come out ( you might need to dig out some soil to get at the roots, hence the polythene) If the soil doesnt smell of urine, then just backfill with some soil and returf and water this turf well and continue to water daily for about a week. If it does smell of urine, then dig out the soil to about

12" deep and refill with fresh soil and then returf. hope this helps, Lannerman

[lannerman]

Hi Gazh, No just a regular file just to get an 'edge', it will be much easier to cut the roots with. If these plants are only 4ft tall, they wont take much getting out. It sounds to me as if these trees have been poisoned by chemical ?? Ask her if shes put anything around them ?? Lannerman

[gazh1983]

Yeah I'll be sure to ask her, thanks.

You know when you said about relaying turf on top, anything I need to know about this process?

[beecrofter]

Being the lazy man that I am I would connect two of the shrubs together with a tool called a " come along" sort of a racheting winch. One will pull right out of the ground and then you tie off to the remaining one and again one will remain and one will pull from the ground. Dig the last one.