Every year there are clients wishing to update their old, overgrown landscape; yards that were lovely fifteen plus years ago, but now have a ragged look. By this time the elegance of the early garden is often gone. Even if care has been given the landscape, within 15 or more years, shrubs often need to be replaced with fresh ones.

Removing old, overgrown shurbs is NOT a small task. However, you will be happy to have done it. Here’s what Horticulture magazine recommends, with a few of my own Colorado ideas thrown in for you locals:  

1) Cut off as many branches as possible to get to the trunk and base. Do not saw off the trunk; leave a good-sized stump and some of the lowest branches to use as handles when you get to the lifting-out stage.

2) Digging about 2 feet from the trunk, working around it,  dig down one foot all around, cutting off the thick roots in your path. Keep digging in a circle, coming closer to the trunk until you expose the bulk of the root mass. Clear the dirt from the roots.

3) Now try to rock the shrub a bit to loosen it. It may not budge!  Keep digging and working to cut off the largest roots near the stump, until it starts to loosen. When you can rock the stump partially up from the hoe, have a partner hold it tipped so you can cut any roots from underneath. When all roots have been severed you should be able to wedge the shovel under it, and lever it out while a partner pulls on the stump. Then remove any remaining roots from the hole and fill it in with the soil set aside.

4) If the shrub was very large, or there were several, you will probably need some topsoil to fill in the depression.  If the shrub was large, you may need to tie it to the trailer hitch of a truck to haul it out.

THE key shrub I’ve seen in Colorado causing major shrub overgrowth is the common juniper, followed by arborvitae (the globe variety).  These fairly inexpensive shrubs thrive in Colorado have low water needs, and the juniper has no problem with our full sun and winter winds. However, while you are (often) pruning  the branches, realize the roots are continuing to grow and spread! If left unpruned, many of these will obtain a 10′ height– they looked so good at 2′-4′ high in their early years!  With such a large root mass underground, growing most other plants beside them is not feasible.

On April 30th, we’ll discuss other landscaping mistakes to avoid.   And remember–if your surroundings don’t fit “you”  like a favorite shoe, you need a little redesign!  –Sharon Breay,    Does the Shoe….FIT?   design programs & workshops