D. I. M = Did It Myself. Replacing an old bush in front was a project I regret tackling. Not only did it have roots much larger and spread than I expected, but I removed about 500 lbs of rocks from the 5' diameter dug-up area. After 8 hours of digging and using a large pry bar with one of the big rocks as a fulcrum, the bush finally gave up and came out. Let's back up a couple of hours when Ms Smarty used her old long-bladed trench sharp shooter shovel to go around the plant and cut roots. I was about 18" down when I hit what seemed a tough root. I was aggravated by then, to say the least, so I chopped with my shovel like a crazy woman. I jumped up and down on the shovel and I felt it sink ... I was knocked on my patoot by a blast of water. The roots I had thought I was chopping before on that side were the side sprinkler line, but this one was the main line from the street to the control box. I shut the main valve off and after bailing out water and more digging, I uncovered the problem. All three pipes were broken and filled with dirt from the water receding. After parting with $50 at Home Depot and grumbling how high PVC pipe and fitting were, I returned home and got the job done. It wasn't easy but no leaks so I filled in and proceeded with planting. I was struck with a stroke of genius. I hate having to use my hands to pack around a new plant, so I used the pot off the plant to dig a precise hole so ground level and plant top would meet with no air pockets. Since the ground had been previously dug out and replaced, it had to be gently packed so that when the pot was pulled, the hole stayed perfect and fit the plant. My body is sore from head to toe and now all that is left is to pull about 8 sprinkler heads and flush the dirt out. Never again will I tackle such a project. The guy down the street informed me that I saved myself about $1500. I replied that no I just tore up my body and spent $50. I should have just left that old bush. A view of some handy dandy woman's work. Notice the necessity of flex couplers for the 1" and the slip compression joint for the 1 1/4". It was still hard to get them on without cracking the 45-year-old brittle lighter weight PVC. How to get a perfect fit for your plant so you can just drop it in.
We have a confederate rose bush that will grow into a huge tree, learned the hard way they are better left alone. I use an ax on roots, we have 2 ax sizes. Somethings are just better left undone. They are beautiful small trees full of flowers that flowers turn 4 shades of red, but hard to move,
Our neighbors were trying to dig out an old azalea bush and came up with the brilliant idea of trying to pull it out with their truck. They tried it to their bumper (didn't have a hitch) and drove off slowly. Cue sound of ripping metal. Bumper now only half attached. Azalea still in the ground. Back to digging. Truck off to body shop.
Ugh. This gives me flashbacks of digging up the red tips in our front yard last month. "The Roots From Hell." Good job, Faye.
I once used an old van to do this, but I didn't tie to the bumper but to the frame-mounted receiver. With much effort, it worked out fine. Now I try to use the tractor or my old farm truck.
I have removed many a bush and small tree with a pickup and chain. I always hooked to the hitch which was attached to the frame. I no longer have a pickup and this bush would have been impossible to get close enough to. I finally completed the project and it took two additional long days as I decided to replace about 8 old sprinklers and install a new 20-foot 4 head system to water the hydrangeas from the back.