If the beech hedge is in the way or if you are planning to redesign the garden, the only option is often to remove the hedge. However, this can be quite time-consuming, especially if the beech trees are already old and well established. How to best proceed when removing a beech hedge.
How do you properly remove a beech hedge?
To remove a beech hedge, cut the plants down to the ground, dig up the roots, pull out the stumps and rot any remaining stumps in the ground by adding compost into cuts or holes.
Steps for removing a beech hedge
- Cut beech trees down to the ground
- Dig up roots
- Pull out stumps
- make stumps left in the ground rot
You only need to completely remove a beech hedge if you plan to plant a new hedge or if you want to replant the area with trees and bushes.
Do the roots really have to be completely dug up?
The roots of the beech must be dug up if other plants are to be planted at the location. They need space for their roots. If you are building a walkway there or are planning to build a dry stone wall, you can leave the roots in the ground.
If the beech roots remain in the ground, they decompose over time and become humus. To speed up this process, make small crosswise cuts in the roots with a saw (€128.00 on Amazon) or punch holes in them with a suitable device.
Pour mature compost into the cracks. The rotting then takes place very quickly and the area can be replanted after a few years if desired.
Cover soil over the roots
A good way to use the space of the beech hedge even though the roots are still in the ground is to cover the ground. Beech trees do not like compacted soil and cannot tolerate waterlogging.
Fill the holes between the roots with sand and soil and roll the soil down well to create a flat surface.
On this area you can, for example, build a dry stone wall or create a fence or walkway. The soil is so compacted that the remaining roots die and the beech trees will never sprout again.
Tip
Old and unsightly beech hedges can be brought back into shape by rejuvenating them. It's worth it because beeches live to a very old age. To rejuvenate, heavy pruning is required, in which you cut out all old shoots and shorten the hedge overall.