Kitchen Garden Forum

I have a very high leylandi hedge which costs us a fortune to cut back every year, what I was hoping that someone could suggest a good telescopic hedge trimmer (preferably cordless) which would do the job.

Thank you

Dear Pottyaboutveg, the trouble with really tall hedges is that you normaly still have to get to the top to make a decent job of cutting them.
They are normally to wide just to cut from either side, from the ground.

Hopefully others might be a little more positive with their replies.

OH has hit the nail on the head, if you dont cut the top it will only get higher year on year. unless you are wanting to block off the view (from next doors upstairs windows for example)there is little point in having hedges more than about 6 foot tall. ive not used a cordless hedge trimmer but my experience from using cordless drills is that unless the battery is used and charged regularly it soon becomes useless. if you must have a cordless go for the highest voltage ones. ryobi do an 18 volt range where the one battery will fit a range of tools. they also do the expandit range with petrol or corded power units with strimmers, hedgecutters, pruner , blower and even a small rotary cultivator to fit on.

Would it be too facetious to say the only suitable trimmer for a tall leylandii is a chainsaw?

Yes, you could be right but these are not in my garden, they just border it.
Thanks everyone for your help in this matter.

Hi Geoff,
That was my thought but decided that I would get into hot water if I were to post it!
JB

Somebody once told me I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth but with a wooden one in my hand - don't understand what they meant.

Hi Pottyaboutveg,
I suppose, one should ask 'how high is the problem hedge?
It's no good offering advice w/o this info?

A long time since this thread started but I wonder if the right angle ones are any good, my hedge is on top of a bank and difficult to access but not too high, so a right angled extended trimmer might be ok, there is one regularly advertised in the telegraph

Two thoughts. Firstly get yourself a safe working platform. Last year I invested in one of those multi-way ladders with platforms - regularly advertised in the weekend papers - and provided your land is reasonably level they do a good job. I try to keep my beech hedge at 6ft and working from the platforms I can work comfortably on the top of the hedge.

Secondly, have you looked at the strimmers/brushcutters now available. I have a Ryobi (but there are other makes) with a brush cutter and two strimmer heads, and I recently added a pruner (a mini chain saw) which gives me a 5-6ft reach to attack the apple trees (They're on offer at the moment at about £30 delivered). The Ryobi range is called expand-it so you get the engine and then add-on attachments. There is a hedgetrimmer in the range.

Have a surf and see what you can find.

ryobi also have a 1000watt electric unit in the expandit range.... theres also a small cultivator attachment aswell .