Newbie tree removal question

 
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!




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gazh1983

 
gazh1983;918162 Wrote:

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




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lannerman

 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.

 
gazh1983;918175 Wrote:

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




--
lannerman

 
lannerman;918203 Wrote:

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?




--
gazh1983