removing lilac roots

[yrdandgardenhandyman]

5 lilac bushes, 8' tall, 3' apart. Look like crap. I offerred to prune them at the right time and bring them back to fullness. No, she wants them removed.
I have removed lilacs many times before. But they were always overgrown and 15' to 20' feet tall with a root 4' across. I simply cut the canes and had the roots ground out. My question. How hard would it be to pull the roots on 8' bushes like this? I've heard that lilacs have a long tap root. Is this true?

[Kate Butler]

Long taproot? Not in my part of the world - just another small, multi-trunked tree. You should be able to get them out easily. You will want to hand-pull out the larger secondary roots that are close to the surface because they are capable of growing new plants (some are capable, some are not). It's safer to just pull 'em out so that you can be sure that the client will be happy. You should be able to dig 8'ers easily. Even though they're close together: if you start at either end, working toward the other end, you'll loosen the soil removing any one so that the next will be easier to dig and remove.