Ferdinand Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) Perhaps rashly I have agreed to trim an NHS neighbour's hedge this year (below), so I need a hedge trimmer - which I just about arguably needed anyway as my garden is maturing. I am now a Makita shop by default. Can anyone advise what sort of weapon is required. The was laid about 5 years ago. It is hawthorn. I can just about touch the security mirror shown standing on the ground so I am guessing the hedge is perhaps 8ft, and only a single garden width. The lane is quiet if I choose my time, and I do have a scaffold tower and ladders available if required. The last time I bought a hedge trimmer it was 12" or 14", powered and very expensive for cordless. They now seem to have one handed grass trimmers which convert (eg Makita DUM604ZX), something cordless, and ones with blades up to 2 feet long (eg Makita DUH523Z) which looks like a sawfish. It may be that a good option is a small trimmer plus secateurs. Or one of the longer ones. TBH for my own use I would struggle to justify the 2ft long one. Thanks. Ferdinand Edited May 23, 2020 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpmiller Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 Hire a petrol one? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 Gumtree? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorfun Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 I have a 3m high hedge along 2 long borders (photo below). We currently have an electric hedge trimmer but i’m not sure it’s up to the job so I’m following this thread with interest! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 @H F reviewed his a while back: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) What diameter are the branches at the height it would be cut down to? Mine grows 2-3 feet a year and I cut down quite low - just above waist height. A few of the branches can be thick enough to need manual cutting with long handled branch loppers. If it's not been cut for a few years it might need mostly hand cutting. Otherwise I use a petrol powered multi tool. Started out as a Ryobi Expand-it, but like the old joke about a broom it's had the power head and the hedge cutter replaced by Stihl that are much better. I must have broken three Ryobi hedge cutter attachments over the years on my hedge. I use a multi tool because I needed a petrol strimmer and pole saw as well for other things. I dare say the dedicated hedge trimmers are better/stronger and less awkward. You can't beat Stihl for quality overall. Expensive but I got fed up breaking the Ryobi. The attachments are compatible with a a bit of fettling. I normally cut mine in January after the leaves have gone so there is less material to burn. I have 60m of hedge and usually takes me about 4 hours (2 hours one day and 2 the next). Edited May 23, 2020 by Temp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 Get a farmer to run a flail over it for the first pass. That photo - to me - shows it's too much of a job for a normal hedge trimmer. Much too high. Unless you've got the shoulders and biceps of a gorilla. Then any of the serious tool companies do sensibly priced hedge whizzers. My preference is for Stihl, but there are plenty of good alternatives . Keep on top of that thing... hedges run away with you if left even one season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 Thanks for the comments so far. I can get a Makita Hedge Trimmer for 70-90 to go with my existing batteries, so I do not see that hiring is worth it at £15-20 a day. I think it will need 2 goes this year - within the next few days, then again in perhaps August. @AnonymousBosch I don't think it is perhaps as bad as it looks - it is only about 8m long so would actually be doable by hand in an afternoon if I really wanted to. @Temp In my head I would like to bring it down to 5-6ft with a conveniently angled top, as a compromise between not driving the roosting sparrows out and a height that is sensibly me plus the tool used. I think it is trimmed nearly every year. I don't think the branches are too bad, but probably need half an hour investigating to find out. I see that Makita now do a couple of pole hedge trimmers in their 18V LXT range. Thanks for the thoughts all; helpful as ever in clarifying the thinking. Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Thorfun said: I have a 3m high hedge along 2 long borders (photo below). We currently have an electric hedge trimmer but i’m not sure it’s up to the job so I’m following this thread with interest! If that was mine I would get the local bloke with his tractor flail, we pay £42 per hour and that shouldn’t take more than an hour. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Punter Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 It would be best to leave til after August to save destroying nesting birds. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 I bought a long bladed hedge trimmer for my hedges but as I get older it’s harder to wield ?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) Good point @Mr Punter. Will probably do just a maintenance trim soon as recommended by RHS. The guideline for farm hedges is not until 1st September, and this is probably of that type - so a heavier trim will have to wait. F Edited May 23, 2020 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorfun Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 5 hours ago, Russell griffiths said: If that was mine I would get the local bloke with his tractor flail, we pay £42 per hour and that shouldn’t take more than an hour. yep. I agree for the road side of the hedge but I still have to do the garden side! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Thorfun said: yep. I agree for the road side of the hedge but I still have to do the garden side! Garden redesign required to put a track in . No pussyfooting for me this time. It will be one of these which is an 18V trimmer. https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/makita-duh523z-lxt-52cm-20-5-hedge-trimmer-body-only There is a 36V version at double, but I don't think I need that. Edited May 23, 2020 by Ferdinand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorfun Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Ferdinand said: Garden redesign required to put a track in . No pussyfooting for me this time. It will be one of these which is an 18V trimmer. https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/makita-duh523z-lxt-52cm-20-5-hedge-trimmer-body-only There is a 36V version at double, but I don't think I need that. out of interest (and it's probably because you've already got the batteries) but why go for an electric one instead of a petrol one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Thorfun said: out of interest (and it's probably because you've already got the batteries) but why go for an electric one instead of a petrol one? I standardised on Makita power tools 18 months ago when my Metabo tools had finally become too old. So I have about 4 batteries, and no need to buy any more than a bare tool here. Also, I don't exactly have a lot of hedges - more shrubs and informal borders - so I do not need the power of a petrol one, and would rather avoid the weight. Previously I had a Metabo cordless hedge trimmer that was vintage 2000, used at my parents' house which *did* have a lot of hedge - both sides of a 60m drive. And I would need to get 2 stroke oil in again, and maintain a supply of unleaded with nothing else to use it for (car is diesel). Ferdinand Edited May 23, 2020 by Ferdinand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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