There are many ways to remove shrubs, depending on the size of the plant. If you are planning a landscape renovation project for your property, chances are that you will have to remove shrubs. Removing mature plant material is not as easy as you think. Most evergreens have a very good root system, especially if they are established. If you plan to remove shrubs with a shovel, think again. Some evergreens such as arborvitae have stumps that can exceed one and a half feet in diameter. You should first determine what type of plant you are removing. Once you have determined the plant species, you can now find out how extensive the root system is. Soil can play a huge role in the expansion of a root system. The more rock and clay that are in the ground, the less chance for roots. The better your soil is, the more chances you have of developing an extensive root system.
Remove shrubs with heavy equipment.
If your plants are located in an area that you can access heavy equipment with, then you should be in luck. If you do not have heavy equipment setting around like most folks, then your option is to rent it. Most rental stores will deliver the equipment to your property and pick it up. You can rent a mini excavator for less than $250.00 a day. If you have a large project with a lot of shrubs, you will definitely come out a head by renting an excavator. Mini excavators do a great job of removing mature landscape plants. You are able to use the excavator to dig around the stump and break up the roots.
Remove shrubs by hand.
If you want to remove shrubs by hand, it is not an impossible task. First and foremost, make sure to leave at least two feet of a stump to work with. Remove all branches to the main trunk of the plant. If you have a shrub without a main trunk, then cut the foliage back so that you have at least two feet remaining. The two feet of plant will give you something to hold on to when you are pulling out the stump. If you plan on hand digging to remove the shrubs, you will likely want an axe handy to help chop the roots. Shovels can only do so much work, and an axe can handle the rest.