# Weeding wide 2-row privet hedgerows



## MrCreosote (Jan 28, 2016)

Very old hedgerow w/parallel rows of plants spaced about 2' wide - spacing in row is variable/random.
All sorts of weeds, vines, poison ivy, etc. thriving in the jumble of stems.
No chance of weed mat and the mulching required to stop this would be so thick it would probably damage the stems.

I suppose one approach would be to ignore the weeds/vines and only remove if can be seen on the surface when trimming.

Another approach would be to move plants until there is a single row - this would eliminate weeds between rows which are impossible to erradicate.

Thoughts?


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Use a heavy strung trimmer, scalp it to the dirt, and live with the imperfect results, or thin it so it can be maintained.

I'm not against brushing on herbicide in difficult to
Kill plants.


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## MrCreosote (Jan 28, 2016)

Thanks!, never thought of simply flush ground cutting stems to make sufficient room between the plants - this would keep all the plants.

As it stands, it is impossible to get a strimmer between the plants because the plants being at least 70 years old have many stems each.

I was also thinking about 360* strimmer guards which would keep string from hitting stems. Also same with instead of string, a metal blade with downward tines that would "cultivate" the soil. NOTE: There was actually a metal blade like that on a Chinese product, but the 360* disc "protector" moved with the blade so it would damage stems. If the disc did not move, it would have been perfect. I can fabricate anything but don't have the time for another project.

LOL, if I put a 6" hole saw on the strimmer, it might be good for tearing up everything below it and if I did bump into a stem, there would be lesser damage.

I've brushed Roundup on occasion and there is even a gel that is hard to get. But I have over 200' of this mess.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

My personal approach in landscape plants is I trim them the way I want them to be, and may cut more or less flush with the ground to gain space in things which spread from the roots.

If they die, they weren't supposed to be there. 

Improperly trimmed / maintained hedges are extremely common.


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## MrCreosote (Jan 28, 2016)

When you say "...things which spread from the roots." are you talking about the plant producing more stems? 

I'd say every plant I'm talking about has a root ball of at least 6" at ground level and many stems coming out of that ball. 

Every year somewhere I break off a dead rotted stem that is over 2" in diameter - so the plant is now a "ring" of stems that sprouted around the perimeter of the root ball. Many of the plants are like this, many stems covering a relatively large area for a single plant.


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## MrCreosote (Jan 28, 2016)

Here are some pics. The first one is a far view of the hedges. In the closeups you can see the road way on the far side of them. The stems are so close together and chaotic I can't physically get a strimmer in there and forget about not damaging the stems with a strimmer.

Just looking at these pics, it really is an impossible situation. Stems and even plants need to be removed:
1) Remove all but a single row of plants, or
2) Remove all stems "between" the two rows, or
3) Do 2) above AND remove stems in the rows so that strimmer (or 13" mower) can get between plants

I do not see how wide hedgerows can work - perhaps they are actually single row plants. But double row or "jungle" seems impossible to maintain. But perhaps if they are trimmed regularly so a dense foliage is developed, there won't be enough light to promote weed growth within.

View attachment 528208


View attachment 528206


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I'm told those stems have been dying and suckers sent up from the rootball probably from being too close together.

You might get away with taking every other one out if each row, cut everything else pretty low ( maybe 3' or so).


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## MrCreosote (Jan 28, 2016)

I think remove a row when a double row and perhaps even thin the remaining single row. 

If I would keep 2 rows, I could thin with the saw blade strimmer and simply "cut my way in" with the saw and "hog out between the rows." But with privet, cutting flush to ground will not kill them, they will sprout more stems than I cut. So that isn't really a permanent solution - I'd have to do this repeatedly. 

If I flush cut a row, I can mow the shoots which is easy. 

The only advantage of the double row is a little more privacy in winter when they drop their leaves.

I wish I had an evergreen hedge for year round privacy but I have 200' of these and a change is out of the question.


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## MrCreosote (Jan 28, 2016)

EUREKA: How to cut those weeds between: POLE HEDGE TRIMMER: Adjust trimmer parallel to ground, then cut while trimmer essentially laying on ground. PLUNGE cut then WIDEN. Plunge cut will not damage stems. Narrowness of trimmer lets it get everywhere. Once cleaned out, remove a stem or plant here and there if too dense.

BONUS: Any stem at ground level that the hedge trimmer can cut, SHOULD be removed.

Who makes the lightest Pole Hedge Trimmer? I have the 18v NiCd Black & Decker and am eyeing up the Ryobi which is all plastic too but has an extension piece for longer reach. I think they are both just ender 9#. (I know Stihl has electric trimmers where you carry the battery pack on your belt which is VERY cool.)


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