How to Remove a Privet Hedge
Hand pull small privet., Use a weed wrench., Hammer the bark of larger stems., Know the limits of hand cutting., Control privet growth by brush mulching.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Hand pull small privet.
You can remove seedlings and small saplings by hand pulling them, but this is only an option if the privet is taller than 15 inches (40 cm) and thinner than your wrist.
Pull the privet as early as possible to prevent it from producing seeds.
Spring or early summer is ideal.
Also note that the process is usually easiest when the soil is moist.
Grab the privet stem at its base.
Firmly pull it straight up and without twisting it.
Twisting the privet can cause the roots to break, and if any roots remain in the soil, the plant can regrow.
If the plant refuses to budge, it might be a sprout from a lateral root instead of a new plant.
You'll need to try a different removal option if this is the case. -
Step 2: Use a weed wrench.
If you're dealing with privet saplings thinner than 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, you might be able to use a weed wrench to remove it.Weed wrenches are most effective on privet with only a single stem, but you might be able to use one on multi-stemmed privet, as well.
Place the mouth of the wrench around the base of the privet, then rock the long handle back and forth until the tool yanks up the plant.
Pulling privet in this manner will disturb the soil, so you should avoid using this option in areas with plants you wish to preserve or when privet lies along stream banks and slopes. , Once privet becomes wider than the average adult wrist, hammering is the most effective way to remove it without the use of chemicals.In late winter, use a hammer and chisel to remove the bark from a 4 inch (10 cm) section of the trunk.
Ideally, this section should lie above ground but beneath the first branch.
Throughout the remaining growing period, continue wounding the bark to maintain this blank patch.
Within a year or less, the privet should lose its foliage and gradually die off.
After the privet dies, you can cut the trunk and dig up the stump. , You can cut young privet by hand using standard weed cutters and similar tools, but when used alone, the privet will regrow.
If you do cut the privet, trim it as close to the ground as possible early in the growing season.
Stumps re-sprout at a rapid pace, so you may need to cut the privet multiple times throughout the season.
Alternatively, you can cut the privet and apply an herbicide to the exposed plant.
Doing so should kill the privet.
See the "Cut and Paint Treatment" section for more detail. , Brush mulching won't be enough to permanently remove the privet, but it should help keep it under control.
This option can work especially well when dealing with dense patches of privet.
Use brush mulching in the spring, summer, or winter.
Avoid brush mulching in the fall since the privet may spread seed during that season.
Drive the brush mulcher over the privet patch, mowing down each individual privet plant as you work.
Any remaining stumps should be hidden beneath the resulting mulch, and when the privet regrows, it should do so evenly, making it easier to remove with other methods. -
Step 3: Hammer the bark of larger stems.
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Step 4: Know the limits of hand cutting.
-
Step 5: Control privet growth by brush mulching.
Detailed Guide
You can remove seedlings and small saplings by hand pulling them, but this is only an option if the privet is taller than 15 inches (40 cm) and thinner than your wrist.
Pull the privet as early as possible to prevent it from producing seeds.
Spring or early summer is ideal.
Also note that the process is usually easiest when the soil is moist.
Grab the privet stem at its base.
Firmly pull it straight up and without twisting it.
Twisting the privet can cause the roots to break, and if any roots remain in the soil, the plant can regrow.
If the plant refuses to budge, it might be a sprout from a lateral root instead of a new plant.
You'll need to try a different removal option if this is the case.
If you're dealing with privet saplings thinner than 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, you might be able to use a weed wrench to remove it.Weed wrenches are most effective on privet with only a single stem, but you might be able to use one on multi-stemmed privet, as well.
Place the mouth of the wrench around the base of the privet, then rock the long handle back and forth until the tool yanks up the plant.
Pulling privet in this manner will disturb the soil, so you should avoid using this option in areas with plants you wish to preserve or when privet lies along stream banks and slopes. , Once privet becomes wider than the average adult wrist, hammering is the most effective way to remove it without the use of chemicals.In late winter, use a hammer and chisel to remove the bark from a 4 inch (10 cm) section of the trunk.
Ideally, this section should lie above ground but beneath the first branch.
Throughout the remaining growing period, continue wounding the bark to maintain this blank patch.
Within a year or less, the privet should lose its foliage and gradually die off.
After the privet dies, you can cut the trunk and dig up the stump. , You can cut young privet by hand using standard weed cutters and similar tools, but when used alone, the privet will regrow.
If you do cut the privet, trim it as close to the ground as possible early in the growing season.
Stumps re-sprout at a rapid pace, so you may need to cut the privet multiple times throughout the season.
Alternatively, you can cut the privet and apply an herbicide to the exposed plant.
Doing so should kill the privet.
See the "Cut and Paint Treatment" section for more detail. , Brush mulching won't be enough to permanently remove the privet, but it should help keep it under control.
This option can work especially well when dealing with dense patches of privet.
Use brush mulching in the spring, summer, or winter.
Avoid brush mulching in the fall since the privet may spread seed during that season.
Drive the brush mulcher over the privet patch, mowing down each individual privet plant as you work.
Any remaining stumps should be hidden beneath the resulting mulch, and when the privet regrows, it should do so evenly, making it easier to remove with other methods.
About the Author
Joyce Hughes
Joyce Hughes specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 3 years. Joyce is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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