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Pruning bushes will encourage new growth and flowering and keep them hardy. Removing dead and diseased branches is vital to your bush's health. It can also deter pests from infesting your bushes. Not only is it beneficial to the bushes, trimming and shaping them will make your lawn look lush and polished.

The most common alternative is burning the stump first, then dealing with the cinders and ashes. As you can imagine, this option creates fire hazards, especially since roots can burn underground, hidden, for long afterward. That’s why many states and cities have outlawed the use of stump burning entirely. We do not recommend this option as a viable alternative unless you get a permit from the local fire department and practice all safe burning procedures.

Others prefer a more long-term DIY approach of degrading the stump with home mixtures like Epsom salt and vinegar injected directly into it. This may help the stump decay faster, allowing homeowners to dig it out themselves, but it’s still a lengthy process. It usually takes months for a stump to start falling apart with such treatments, and in the meantime, it can be vulnerable to rot, insects, and other problems.

The easiest way to remove bushes is first to cut the bush down. You may need to use a handsaw, pruning shears, or a chainsaw for thicker branches. Once you’ve removed most of the branches, you can then cut the base of the shrub as low to the ground as you can get. Then, with a shovel, dig around until you expose the roots. Dig out the roots, being careful not to leave any roots in the soil.

In general, you can prune up to one third of the height of most shrubs without damaging them. There are a few exceptions to this rule: Pine shrubs, for example, can’t be trimmed below the point of new growth without damaging them.