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vpeterson_gw

electric cultivator

vpeterson
10 years ago

Any one use a small electric cultivator to cut maple tree roots from around hostas? I am looking for a good brand that will do the trick and not be too heavy for me to use.

Comments (10)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    it wont work.. save your money ...

    every root you cut.. will be replaced by a dozen more.. feeder roots... which will be even more aggressive ...

    it took me a lot of wasted money.. buying under powered machines ... that seem like a great idea.. but then simply arent good enough to do the job.. [electric chain saw ... electric snowblower ... electric car ... electric sedger ... electric blower ...electric heaters ... etc ...]

    that said ... NEVER TILL UNDER A MAPLE ... as per above ....

    there should be hundreds of posts on dealing with hosta under maple.. try the GW search box near the top.. or just start a new post .. properly titled... and since winter is creeping in.. my good peeps will probably run through it all again, for lack of much else hosta related to talk about .. ... just to teach you how to do such...

    ken

  • Steve Massachusetts
    10 years ago

    Try using Spin Out bags instead. As usual, Ken is right about Maple roots.

    Steve

    Here is a link that might be useful: Wild Rose Distributing

  • Jon 6a SE MA
    10 years ago

    Spin out bags will work well. Myself and several others have had success under maples with robust, larger hosta that seem better able to compete.......

    {{gwi:1036637}}

    ....such as these Sieboldiana Elegans which I have had growing right up against a maple tree trunk for over ten years. Elegans has thrived here with no fertilizer or special attention at all.

    Jon

  • vpeterson
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I have been using a hand held 'Garden Weasel " but have been wondering if this would work. The link shows a black and decker
    battery cultivator video.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Black and Decker battery cultivator

    This post was edited by vpeterson on Tue, Oct 15, 13 at 9:13

  • Jon 6a SE MA
    10 years ago

    I think that if you slice of enough roots to allow for planting any hosta you want, you will kill the maple. Just like any other plant pruning roots or stems will encourage new growth (as Ken stated). Cut enough and you will kill the plant. A barrier such as spin-out bags will be a far better solution.

    Not knowing how impossible it was to grow hosta under a maple I planted one under one many years ago. Evidently the hosta did not know it was doomed either and just kept growing and growing.

    Jon

  • in ny zone5
    10 years ago

    I did the ultimate, had a tree service company come, remove a big maple and ground out the stump to 8 inch depth. There is still one maple to go. Then when I tried to do the border to the lawn I noticed that all the roots were still there. So I sharpened (several times) my heavy axe and cut all those roots down to 7 inches, heavy work. I agree that maples have a lot of surface roots, those fine roots are so dense and woven into the lawn.
    It is good to get rid of maples, one more to go!

    In respect to the electric cultivator per my recent experience, up to 10 ft close to a trunk those should be useless, might twist your arms off when that cultivator gets stuck in roots. Otherwise I would use spinout bags. I noticed when digging holes for those bags that a post hole digger is useful, because its heavy and sharp blade cuts through roots, otherwise use an axe and long-handle pruners. Such work is good exercise, a beer helps afterwards.
    Bernd

    This post was edited by berndnyz5 on Tue, Oct 15, 13 at 10:16

  • User
    10 years ago

    Jonny, that's the way it works for me too. If I don't know any better, somehow I get away with it. But the moment I find out the truth, or reality, then the rules apply and I don't get away with it any longer. I call it the "ignorance is bliss" syndrome.

  • Jon 6a SE MA
    10 years ago

    Moc, I've been aware of the 'maple tree curse' for a couple of years now. I'm just careful not to talk about it in front of the hosta.

    Jon

  • mikgag Z5b NS Canada
    10 years ago

    I've had 6 hostas planted in a ring around a maple tree for over 12 years now. They do great...never touched them since shoving them into the ground....I dunno.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    since you repeated your question verbatim ... when after we answered and you said:

    but have been wondering if this would work.

    ===>>> all i can do is repeat: NO IT WONT ...

    nice video.. but if you watch it again.. do note.. they already double dug the bed.. no electric tool is going to turn over undisturbed soil full to tree roots ... EVER ...

    you will even have a hard time with an 8 horsepower monster tiller.. tilling under a maple ...

    it simply wont work ... you will waste your money ... period ...

    the ONLY tiller that will work.. will have to be a tractor power PTO direct drive off a diesel engine ....

    we all want a panacea.. and have wasted hundreds of dollars.. on things that wont work.. hoping to save a bunch of hard work ... i have dozens of such tools in my polebarn... i wish someone had tried to talk some sense to me at the time ...

    i wish you luck in your root battle... there is no easy cure ...

    ken

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