Bush Trimming

3077 Views 32 Replies 20 Participants Last post by awm, Jul 17, 2003

mtdman

Discussion Starter · Jul 15, 2003

Yep, another bush trimming thread. This is the job I did today. I was slated to trim the whole yard later this week, but she was cited by the city for blocking the sidewalk. Real pain in the butt with all the thorns.

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Doc Pete

· #21 · Jul 16, 2003

Originally posted by mtdmaster
If anyone could provide a picture of this technique, I'd be greatful.

I'm probably going to charge her $100 for that, the 3 hours includes mowing time. I have more bushes to trim for her in her yard, I was just doing that hedgerow for her because of the city's complaint. The rest won't be as difficult. As I have said before, stuff like this I try to get $30 to $40 /hour, and usually give the hourly rate rather than a total in estimate..

So you've never see shrubs like this????

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mtdman

Discussion Starter · #22 · Jul 16, 2003

Quite honestly, no. It looks rather funny.

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Doc Pete

· #23 · Jul 16, 2003

Originally posted by mtdmaster
Quite honestly, no. It looks rather funny.

Well, they are rather unusual, but fairly hard to cut fast, correctly and all the same size. Also, I got tired of looking like everyone else on the street..........

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crazygator

· #24 · Jul 16, 2003

Originally posted by [email protected]
Also, I got tired of looking like everyone else on the street..........

Pete,

You are different arent you?

I like your prune job. Its cool to be different in an ornamental sort of way!

Makes your place stand out from the rest. Nice job!

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mtdman

Discussion Starter · #25 · Jul 16, 2003

When I do pines like that, I try to do them vertically, or rounded.

The problem I see with trimming like that is you gotta deal with the shape the shrub has grown into,somewhat. You can't just start hacking way into a bush to get the prescribed shape, you'll kill it. And with bushes like I cut the other day, there really wasn't a whole lot at the bottom to leave if I were to do it that way.

At the very least, this has given me something to think about.

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Doc Pete

· #26 · Jul 16, 2003

Originally posted by mtdmaster
At the very least, this has given me something to think about.

Here's something else to think about. If you bad mouth my pruning again, I'll let "little tommy" run up your pants leg.
Hedge hogs are rather prickly

Erinaceidae Domesticated hedgehog Rodent Hedgehog Whiskers

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mtdman

Discussion Starter · #27 · Jul 16, 2003

The pruning looks great. The shapes are what I can't get over!

I am not sure what to think about the hedgehog.

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maple city

· #28 · Jul 16, 2003

Just wanted to step in here and agree with Harry0 about his post. I've read articles that say you want bushes to be wider on the bottom because in areas where there is quite a bit of snow it collects on the tops and breaks down the bushes.

I do think they look nice, though. But if Ann Arbor gets snow like I think you do, you may want to do some research and make sure you are trimming properly for your area so you don't have future problems.

Your prices are way too cheap! We are trimming 1 bush tomorrow for $50.00. It will take us about an hour to do. It's already shaped nicely. About 15 feet tall. We just have to shave off new growth. We did 4 bushes the other day for $25.00 each. Took a couple of hours.

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Rustic Goat

· #29 · Jul 16, 2003

In the 'before' pictures, where is the area that customer was supposedly cited for because of sidewalk blockage?

Just my opinion category, not a personal or otherwise criticism. Bushes/plants should look mostly like bushes/plants. Trimmed and/or pruned to remove the 'wild' look.
Just always thought 'shaped' shrubs/bushes/plants look completely foreign and artificial.
Kind of Edward Scissorhands is loose thing.

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mtdman

Discussion Starter · #30 · Jul 17, 2003

Originally posted by Rustic Goat
In the 'before' pictures, where is the area that customer was supposedly cited for because of sidewalk blockage?

You can't really tell from the picture, but the bushes were poking out into the sidewalk a bit. I didn't think they were that bad as an obstruction, either, but the city thought otherwise.

I have really been paying attention to bushes around town because of this thread, and I swear I've seen nothing wider at the bottom than the top, other than trees. In fact, I saw another LCO today trimming bushes, and he was cutting everything off the bottom areas to about a foot up the bush, with the top part of the bush MUCH wider. I can understand the theory, but it just doesn't seem natural to me.

As I said before, those bushes were much smaller at the bottom than the top, and to make the bottom part wider would have really taken a lot outta the bushes.

Maple City, $50 for 1 hour is good. It took me 3 hours, with a mowing that I was already getting paid for, so more like 2 1/2 hours to trim. $100 for 2 1/2 hours is $40 an hour, which is right where I like to be with my hourly rates, more or less.

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Mike Bradbury

· #31 · Jul 17, 2003

That determines if it should even be buzzed in the first place.

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wriken

· #32 · Jul 17, 2003

I have really been paying attention to bushes around town because of this thread, and I swear I've seen nothing wider at the bottom than the top, other than trees.

I have'nt been looking to hard but I will today when I'm out on the route, I don't think I have seen to many if any, trimmed wider at the bottom then top. Not saying it don't make sense, maybe its a local thing. I have seen pine trees wider at the bottom.

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awm

· #33 · Jul 17, 2003

that just steals the natural attraction from a beautiful thing. oh sorry ,misunderstood post subject.

im gettin old ,gimme a break.

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