red tip Photinia shrub question

[projectPONY]

Anyone have firsthand experience with these shrubs? after many years of neglect mine have reached a height of 11'-12' feet and a width of 6'-7' feet in some spots. I've asked a few landscapers in the area for quotes to get them down to a manageable state, but since I have about 150' linear feet of shrubs the price is always in the $300 range and that is more than I can spend at the moment. so, this leads me to my question. does anyone know, if I were just hack these things down to a stump, would they sprout back up? that way I could trim and shape them and stay on top of their growth.

these are the shrubs I'm talking about. not mine.

[Raskal]

they are pretty resilient shrubs, which is obviously why they've grown so tall and thick.. I'd think you'd be fine hacking a good portion off of it to try and mold it back into a smaller size.

[projectPONY]

I think I'm gonna try it tomorrow. I thinned them down to just a few branches per shrub but I think I'll cut them down to about a 1' stump.


sent from an htc EVO, the iCrap killer.

[BradM]

Do whatever you want. You can't kill them.

[projectPONY]

Do whatever you want. You can't kill them.

Good, I just wanted to make sure.


sent from an htc EVO, the iCrap killer.

[Vertnut]

Do whatever you want. You can't kill them.

That is NO SHIT. If you know of a way to kill them (other than pulling them out of the ground with my truck- LOL), post up!

[95DRGT]

Trying to get them out of the ground is a bitch too- I had to remove 90' of them once to build a retaining wall and it was an ass kicker- personally don't care for them with all the leaf litter and smell they put out in the spring

[Reefer Rae]

Hi-lift jack and two 30,000 lbs straps plus the big ass tree in my front yard and mine came right out . All 25 of them.

[projectPONY]

Eventually I'll be yanking about five or six of them but not anytime soon. I've been wanting to put up a nice wood fence to enclose the driveway but until then they all stay. Not looking forward to it but I was thinking I would use my engines hoist for the job. I just have to come up with a way to hook a chain to the stump.


sent from an htc EVO, the iCrap killer.

[Cannon88]

That is NO SHIT. If you know of a way to kill them (other than pulling them out of the ground with my truck- LOL), post up!

I have done this! I had about 15 of them lining the rear of my old house and I wanted them gone. I spent about 3 hours digging the first one up (roots and all) with a shovel. After that 1 I said 'f-this' and pulled my truck into the back yard. I wrapped a chain around the base of each one and had them all pulled up, including the roots, in about 25 minutes.

[Vertnut]

I have done this! I had about 15 of them lining the rear of my old house and I wanted them gone. I spent about 3 hours digging the first one up (roots and all) with a shovel. After that 1 I said 'f-this' and pulled my truck into the back yard. I wrapped a chain around the base of each one and had them all pulled up, including the roots, in about 25 minutes.

Been there, too!

[Frank]

If anyone has some already pulled up by the roots, I would take them off your hands. I want some privacy and these seem to work well if you keep them under control.

[projectPONY]

I will give them that, they are great for privacy, but keeping them in control is a must.


sent from an htc EVO, the iCrap killer.

[lowthreeohz]

That is NO SHIT. If you know of a way to kill them (other than pulling them out of the ground with my truck- LOL), post up!

We cut them down to ground level, drill holes in the stump, and pour anything caustic in the holes. repeat a few times a year, and they'll be dead by next spring.