I have to remove about 2 dozen entrenched, 50-year-old barberry bushes, and would appreciate any advice on how this should be done. I'd like to replant in the same area, which makes me leery about cutting them down to the roots and then applying chemicals.
Bob
Where are you located, Bob?
Dave
Long Island, NY
Pull them out with a come-a-long by fastening it to them in pairs crankk the lever and the weaker one will pull out. When you get to the last one you have to find something else to fasten to or dig.
The reason I ask Bob, is that old foundation plantings like this can often make great bonsai, after a radical pruning of the trunk, branches, and roots. I'll crosspost this to newsgroup rec.arts.bonsai... with any luck you'll get free total removal and maybe someone will have some lovely bonsai in a few years time........
Dave
Well, the very best way would be to pay someone else to do it. Preferably with a backhoe. If you do this, emphasize that they must remove each bush's stump and main roots intact, not just plow them under.
If it is legal / safe, you could also try a controlled burn to remove the bushes. Be careful with this one, underground roots can smoulder for months!
Howsomever: You're going to want a pair of gauntlet gloves; barberry has wicked thorns. Cut down the bushes, leaving a
12-18" stump of big branches for each one. Trench along one side of the stumps, 3-5' out from them, digging about 18" deep. [Using a baby backhoe to do this will save lots of sore muscles.] Moving in toward the stumps, keep trenching out until you are encountering significant roots. Now, you're going to have to dig out each bush individually, working in from the trench to make two side trenches that surround the bush. As you are moving the dirt out from around the roots, keep trying to rock the stump. When you have it essentially free on one side, you can tip it back on the other side and basically peel it out of the ground. [If you have a decent winch, you can use that to help rock the stump and peel it out of the ground.] Once you have all the large roots and stumps out of the ground, till the soil thoroghally and regrade. Good luck; this is brutal work.Chris Owens
Thanks for the sound advice. "Brutal" is right. I got a thorn in my finger when I looked this over that blew up to the size of a small marshmallow. I may just burn them down, and charge admission to the smoldering ruins.
Bob
Well, the very best way would be to pay someone else to do it. Preferably with a backhoe. If you do this, emphasize that they must remove each bush's stump and main roots intact, not just plow them under.
If it is legal / safe, you could also try a controlled burn to remove the bushes. Be careful with this one, underground roots can smoulder for months!
Howsomever: You're going tX-Mozilla-Status: 0009let gloves; barberry has wicked thorns. Cut down the bushes, leaving a
12-18" stump of big branches for each one. Trench along one side of the stumps, 3-5' out from them, digging about 18" deep. [Using a baby backhoe to do this will save lots of sore muscles.] Moving in toward the stumps, keep trenching out until you are encountering significant roots. Now, you're going to have to dig out each bush individually, working in from the trench to make two side trenches that surround the bush. As you are moving the dirt out from around the roots, keep trying to rock the stump. When you have it essentially free on one side, you can tip it back on the other side and basically peel it out of the ground. [If you have a decent winch, you can use that to help rock the stump and peel it out of the ground.] Once you have all the large roots and stumps out of the ground, till the soil thoroghally and regrade. Good luck; this is brutal work.Chris Owens
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