How to get rid of shrubs from the garden?

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Shrubs are an essential addition to any garden planting scheme. Not only do they provide a backdrop to shorter plants they also help to soften fences and screen bad views.

Shrubs have a variety of other visual attributes such as decorative flowers and foliage.
However many shrubs, once established can become very large and difficult to maintain.

When shrubs get very large, they lose their natural form and have to be cut into geometric shapes. Many times, we choose to simply get rid of shrubs which have become too cumbersome.

The only problem is many shrubs have the vigour of small trees with robust roots and tough bases. This can make them very challenging to get rid of without adopting some heavy-duty digging and chopping.

It is reassuring to know that it is very possible to get rid of shrubs from your garden if you follow a process.

​In this article I will explain how to get rid of shrubs by the roots with some other shrub removal tips and hacks. 
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How to get rid of shrubs by hand

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​The uncomfortable truth is the most practical way to remove shrubs is by hand.

Ideally the best time of year to dig out a shrub or stump is during the spring. At this time of year the ground has higher moisture content from the previous winter months.

This makes it easier to dislodge stubborn roots and start to work the stump loose. The most important aspect of digging shrubs out by hand is using the correct tools and methodology.

​We will describe all of these below. 

Best tools for removing shrubs
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• Spade
  
• Digging bar
  
• Grafting spade
  
• Mattock
  
• Hand saw
  
• Loppers
  
• Sledge hammer
  
• Buckets
  
• Power drill 

Step 1:

​Trim off most of the shrubs foliage and branches but keep as much of the central trunk as possible. This central trunk will allow you to pull at the stump and roots with mechanical leverage. 

Step 2:

Excavate a trench all the way around the root mass of the shrub as close to the roots as possible. You should try to dig at least 300mm deep and scoop the loose soil out of the excavation. Try to dig under the root mass as much as possible and clear compacted soil around from the anchor roots. 
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Step 3:

Using a digging bar, grafting spade or mattock, chop through any anchor roots you come across. Most shrubs have lateral anchor roots all the way around the trunk with a central tap root. The central tap root is typically tough and penetrates the ground vertically providing stability. You need to chop out as many side anchors as possible to begin to rock the stump on the tap root. 
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Step 4:

​Any large roots which are too thick to chop through must be cut with an old a saw. At this point you should be able to move the whole stump by pulling on the trunk. Thrust the trunk back and forth and from the movement work out where the roots are still attached.
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Step 5:

​Excavate out soil and explore for further roots which are preventing you from pulling the stump over. When you discover extra hidden anchor roots dig around them to expose them and chop them out. 

Step 6:

​Eventually you will be able to rock the stump via the trunk easily and violently from side to side. At this point it is probable that only the central tap root now remains. Keep rocking the trunk robustly to dislodge compacted soil and to try to snap the tap root. 
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Step 7:

​If the shrub has a very strong tap root you will find it is difficult to move the stump even a little. If so, try impacting the stump with a sledgehammer to try to loosen its grip on the ground. Go very easy at first and do not swing the hammer too far in case you miss.

Step 8:

​If the shrub has thick roots you can use a power drill to weaken them. Using a power drill, core out holes from the centre of thick roots. This will weaken them significantly and make them easier to snap out of the ground. 

Step 9:

​If you are having trouble breaking the central tap root you can chop it horizontally with a grafting spade. Gradually chop at the root until it is severely weakened or snaps completely. 
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Step 10:

​Once the stump is removed chop out any large surface roots with a mattock or spade. Turn over the ground and level it well for future cultivation. 

Removing a shrub with a vehicle

If you are having particular difficulty removing a bush by hand you can wrench it out with a vehicle. However if you do this, I strongly recommend that you excavate around the bush first.

Some shrubs can even be too stubborn for some vehicles to pull out. Excavating first will ensure less chance of damage to the vehicle.

Make sure you use a strong rope and slowly increase tension with the accelerator. Never gain any speed and try to yank out a shrub by force.
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Below we have embedded a video on how to remove a shrub with a vehicle correctly. 

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