Content
- How to remove a hedge
- Legal background
- Removal instructions
- 1. Free the root base
- 2. Saw logs
- 3. Eliminate roots
- 4. Dispose of wood residues
- 5. Post-processing
Hedges must not be removed in any season
How to remove a hedge
When pulling out a hedge, you must observe the legal regulations. They specify the period in which such measures may be carried out. Proceed step by step and use the appropriate devices.
Legal background
The demolition of hedges is prohibited between 1 March and 30 September according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act. The law is valid in all federal states and refers to free landscapes and settlement areas. The law was passed to protect the breeding grounds and habitats of wild animals. Its primary purpose is to protect native birds whose breeding grounds have been severely damaged or completely destroyed by massive interference with nature. Woody plants are important habitats for birds that are to be spared in private gardens.
Within the federal states, there may be special regulations concerning the pruning and the removal of hedges. Exceptions to the set seasons may apply to sick shrubs or woody plants, which represent a danger to road traffic. The public order office provides information about any special regulations. A violation of these rules is considered an administrative offense, punishable by a fine.
Removal instructions
Inform your neighbor about the upcoming work, so that no unpleasant surprises arise. Use appropriate protective clothing when pulling out. You need a spade, a branch and hedge trimmer and a hand ax or a saw for the work. Chainsaw and mini excavator facilitate the removal of old shrubs and large hedges.
1. Free the root base
Remove the branches at the root base, so that you can later saw off easily. For smaller branches a hedge trimmer is suitable. Thicker branches are cut off with pruning shears.
2. Saw logs
Cut the trunks at the base with a hand ax or a small saw. For larger shrubs look for the direction of fall so as not to damage anything.
3. Eliminate roots
Remove the complete root from the earth. In the soil remaining root pieces can drive out again. Old hedges have built a far-reaching root system, making this step more difficult.
Tips for removing the roots:
Beech hedges develop tight and deep roots, which often can not be completely removed. These roots rot in the soil. Saw crosswise cracks in the root or punch small holes in the wood. Fill the cavities with compost. This measure speeds up the rotting process. A replanting of the soil is possible after a few years.
4. Dispose of wood residues
Hedge trimming is ideal for composting. Small-cut branches and foliage serve as a dry structural material in winter, which can be regularly mixed into the compost substrate. Thicker logs provide firewood.
5. Post-processing
Fill the resulting holes with stale compost. It supplies the soil with nutrients and prepares it for replanting.