Shrubbery

This is a question I have wanted to get an answer on for a long time. I am pretty good with a large shrub when it comes to re-shaping/removing new growth, but I have not learned how some of these landscapers get their little holleys as round as a ball!!!! It really pi$$$$es me off too. Is there some special technique that is used to do this, is it always done by hand? The problem is I can never catch these experts in the act of doing the &quot;ball thing&quot; or I would stop and bother them! I think they must know I'm coming so they leave so they don't reveal their magic. I need help on this one, I have been putting off some much needed shrub work at a commercial location because of this. I don't want to embarass myself. Big ones don't give me too much trouble but those little b$%%%56rds get me everytime. Where do you start trimming, where do you end up? Is there a mold or something, do you need a peep site on a rifle to get a round image? <p>HELP!!!!!<p>Homer

 

Hello Homer:<p>I was above average trimming but those perfectly shaped ones I could never do. I think you are born with it. I wasn't born with it at all!<p>I stopped at this bank that had that look & this man was there trimming with hand clippers. <p>I would watch him & I never saw anything special. But he continually sharpened with hand file & brushed with wire brush.<p>I asked him how he did it & he said I've been doing it for over 20 years. LOL thats all he said.<p>Sorry no more help.<p><br><p>----------<br>GrassMaster - Home: www.lawnservicing.com<br>My Start Up Page www.lawnservicing.com/startup/

 

I wonder if he will work for peanuts? We have plenty of them here. Sounds like I'm not alone.<p>Homer

 

Homer,<p>Lots of practice. Lots of patience. I have a 30 inch single sided trimmer and can shape just about anything. Always get loads of praise and awe. But Ive been doing it for eight years. No better time to start than now.<p>Bill<p>----------<br>&quot;...half my brain tied behind my back, just to make it fair.&quot; R.L.<br>

 

like it was said earlier &quot;your either born with it or your not&quot; i have been very good at shaping shrubs from the begining. i dont leave till the shrubs look perfect. i have never had a worker that has ever neen able to trim for sh@*. need to keep you blades sharp and take you time.

 

I hear all of this but you still ain't told me how you do it!!! Do you start at the top and (round only) roll down the sides as if you were brushing a horse, mule, elephant etc. or do you start at the bottom and work your way around the shrub til you get to the top? I keep my blades sharpened with a hand file so that hasn't stopped me from doing circles. What you guy are saying is you just have a nack for it, that is probably why I need to hire a guy/gal who has that same nack. If I don't hurry I'm gonna have a big nack attack!<p>Homer

 

Homer, what works for me is starting at the top and brushing the top down using only a small portion of the blades.

 

Homer, I am no where near a expert on trimming balls but I do pretty good on small ones. If they are already pre-formed they are easier for me to do. I usually start at the top and work my way down in a spriral to the bottom.<p>I use a pair of Corona hand grass shears. Don't have the model # right now but they look like a pair of sissors and were expensive. I used to watch a guy do them with a pair of sheep shears. He was a lot better at this than I. But basically it takes practice.<p><br>Jim

 

i start by going around the whole bush at the center then i work around the bush cutting up then i round the top off it works for me i also had alot of practice when i worked for another lawn company it was my job to do all the bushes at 9 apartment complexes (that was all i did for 8 months me my hedgetrimmers my rake and tarp 10 hours a day, i dont miss it...