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Many tools are effective in helping you remove hedges. While heavy machinery is likely the best option for making quick work of hedge removal, your trusty hand spade shovel is probably the next best. Use a spade shovel to dig around the hedge and break roots as you go with the tool. Your spade is also useful for getting deep underneath the root ball, so you can insert a pry bar to help lift the plant.

It’s possible to go too far trimming your bushes or hedges. If you overdo it, you may kill the plant. Stick to trimming about a third of the branches on your bush each season to prevent over-cutting. If your hedge is overgrown and needs a heavy trim, avoid cutting off the main branches that make up the top of the bush.

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.

If composting feels too complicated, mulching is an effective alternative. While composting focuses on breaking down yard waste to feed the soil, mulching uses that same organic material as a protective top layer. It's a quick way to get value from leaves, grass clippings, and other yard debris without the time or effort composting requires.