Roots of Holly Hedges

Question

We have a holly hedge around the back side of our pool. We are wanting to remove it and put in a concrete walk and an arbor. One part of the hedge is very close to the stone around the pool. How far out do the roots grow? If we have the hedge pulled up, will the roots tear into the stone around the pool, and also what about the pipes going to the waterfalls and the sprinkler pipes in that area? Is there a tool that would cut several inches into the ground to cut the roots before pulling them out?

Answer 1

I personally love using a sawzall for removing shrubs. Because it has a disposable blade, you can plunge it into the ground and cut through roots and dirt and remove stumps from shrubs and trees easily and not worry about ruining it. Typically, the large roots that might give you issues will radiate about 1′ from the stump. Beyond that, the roots are typically too small to be a problem to your project.