Treeation

3rd picture doesnt look like Pluerotus ostreatus as has a long stalk - I havent seen it with long stalk before? Also, colour doesnt quite look right

Well, I think we need Mr Humphries to put us out of our misery then!

Hmm my best guess would still be Pholiota adiposa, or possibly, the ringless honey fungus - Armillaria tabescens. I guess one easy way to distinuguish Armillaria from Pholiota would to be investigate arund the infestation for the classic black "bootlace" rhizomorphs

Im not 100% on it being Pholiota, its just my best guess! there are several species of Pholiota some scalier than others!

I'd suggest first fungi isn't honey fungus, looks more like some species of Pholiota - possibly Pholiota adiposa. Second fungi is indeed stump puffball - Lycoperdon pyriforme And yes the third fungi is indeed Dryad's Saddle - Polyporus squamosus

definetely looks like a great bit of kit...I remember trying to wedge over big sycamore with high lifts and it wouldn't shift, was smacking wedges so hard swinging wildly with a mallet that I gave myself some sort of bollock whiplash! not pleasant!

Is it easier on the body than twatting wedges in?

Also, will occassionally use hailo ladders (in step ladder mode) to protect shrubs, taps sticking out of lawns etc when in the drop zone when dropping brash

Great Thread! Any form of hedgework is pretty much impossible without a good set of ladders!

Lovely Job!!!

Think you would be pretty bomb proof with a national diploma level 4 in arb + Professional Tree Inspection qual

Ganoderma applanatum or Ganoderma australe. I believe My Humphries says only can be truly indentified with microscope.

Look a bit like stump puffballs to me

that looks pretty similar to the beast in question....was it possible todo top with mewp? how long did that job take in mandays?

Im not sure, to be honest ive never cut a hedge using a mewp. The hedge is 7m wide though so might be an issue! Going to meet a local access hire engineer on site to discuss best line of attack!

Been the best mushroom picking season for years! and being able to get my little girl involved has been awesome. Heres a few pics from the last few weeks

Hi Rich, just in quoting process and trying to get a battle plan together!

Hi Steve, is there any particular tracked mewp you would recommend for tight access?

Would like to see some pics of hedge surfing!

I remember going to quote a job for an old guy. He had a nice sized garden with some nice trees. We spent 30mins walking around each tree and the conversation was composed of him telling me how he was going to prune each tree. Then we arrived at the end of his tour, I was now a little perplexed, to a short but very wide beech hedge ( 5m or so wide) we talked about that for about another 20mins about reducing the width to make future management easier..we agreed a price and he would contact me when ready .I never heard back from the bugger again!

My hailo ladders have a free standing height of 4.18m

Thats a good idea Ty but they use the hedge for screening a property behind and the client is very particular, (the garden is like nothing I have seen before) they have open exhibitions each year so you get the idea!

Havent looked into the tracked mewp otion but will do...I havent cut the hedge before....Some one topped it a few years ago but didnt do sides (conveninetly). The access to the hedge is good one side but the other side is a bit of nightmare with sculptures, higly prized plants, fruit cages etc (its a prestigous property!)

this is best link for hedge shears http://www.fiskars.co.uk/products/gardening/tree-pruners/universal-garden-hedge-shear-1001559

So I am looking for an easier way to cut those out of reach bits of hedges we all know and hate! high sides which are just ouf reach from ladders and hedge trimmer and those tops that cant quite be reached in one sweep across. I currently use a hailo ladder and have a long reach stihl hedge cutter. I am in the process of quoting a 8m high leyland hedge. The gardener has cut to aorund 3-4m of the sides leaving an awkard remainder of 4m of high sides to trim. There is no access for cherry picker and limited scaffold access. I have used a stihl combi system with the extension in but found it didnt cut that well and was effing heavy. The hedge is 41m long so I need the most efficient weay of dealing with the sides. Has anyone ever tried these fiscar hedge shears? I loathe to think of using my jameson pole pruners to complete the task and am looking for something more light weight and efficient to save time and exertion. http://www.fiskars.co.uk/products/gardening/tree-pruners