Cutting high sides of hedges (over 4m)

[Steve Bullman]

I would have thought with those height ladders and the stihl extendable battery trimmers you should be able to about manage it.  Is there absolutely no way of getting a mewp in?  You can get some pretty small tracked units with 10 meter reach 

[Chris Day]

If it's been topped before is it possible to trim a section at one end albeit with difficulty and then get on top of the hedge and hedge cut from the top down? Will be slow going and will need a trusted set of eyes on the ground to keep you right. I've done it before not on that height but on a garden where ponds prevented access to the hedge with ladders, it worked but was slow and involved a good bit of pond dipping! 

[sime42]

If you're looking for pole pruners then Corona make the best in my opinion. Lightweight and efficient. Though you can't cut a whole hedge with them! Just isolated branches too thick for the hedge trimmer.

[Macaulay]

I've just spent all day trimming a conifer hedge that has not been touched in 3 years it's 8m high 30m long 5m wide. I have been using my 7m ladder with a step ladder cable tied to the top of it to make a cross and a echo long reach hedge trimmer. Only got half of it done it's been a long hard day. Spending the evening googling access platforms hire prices. Never again will I tackle a hedge of that size from ladders. 

 

When doing the top I kept thinking if I could lay ply boards across this it would be so much easier! Has anyone tried this tactic?

[woody paul]

I cut a conifer hedge which I crawl across the top to cut it.

 

[woody paul]

On 14/08/2017 at 08:40, sime42 said:

If you're looking for pole pruners then Corona make the best in my opinion. Lightweight and efficient. Though you can't cut a whole hedge with them! Just isolated branches too thick for the hedge trimmer.

Corona head on a sandvik 6m pole great bit of kit in my arsenal of tools that have been made up. 

[Macaulay]

4 minutes ago, woody paul said:

I cut a conifer hedge which I crawl across the top to cut it.

 

Tried that and there was nothing to stand on for about 5ft down trying to wield a long reach from that position was interesting

[tree-fancier123]

5 hours ago, Macaulay said:

 

 

When doing the top I kept thinking if I could lay ply boards across this it would be so much easier! Has anyone tried this tactic?

yes i've surfed a few hedges with good trimmed tops on 3ft squares of ply, just offcuts not made to measure - good for wide hedges you need 2 bits of ply so you can move one along while standing on the other - probably not for an 8m high hedge though as doubt it will have a dense top.

the ht 131 pole pruner is quite powerful and have faced up an 18ft high hedge with a hedge cutter attachment on, 24 ft would have meant wobbling about with the extended ht 131 half way up a tripod ladder, still doable just

[nepia]

Hedgesurfing works if the cut stems are thick enough and numerous enough to support boards.  Rather than a pair of small boards (very dodgy!) I use a single 6x3' board; when it's time to move it I kneel, grab the leading edge and jump it forwards inches at a time.  Watch your knuckles though.

[Treeation]

5 hours ago, nepia said:

Hedgesurfing works if the cut stems are thick enough and numerous enough to support boards.  Rather than a pair of small boards (very dodgy!) I use a single 6x3' board; when it's time to move it I kneel, grab the leading edge and jump it forwards inches at a time.  Watch your knuckles though.

Would like to see some pics of hedge surfing!