Long hedge, no hedge trimmer. What should I do?

If you're set on keeping the hedge, you'll have to maintain it somehow. Maybe borrow a hedge trimmer from a mate if if doesn't need to be trimmed that often? Or hire out to save yourself the hassle.

 

Isandri, I've just re-read your first post. Realising now that you're having a baby next year, congratulations! I'd like to point out that Yew is very poisonous and that includes the berries, so it would be best to get a positive ID on the hedge. It may make a difference to your final decision.

 

Sheal, do you really think this is relevant, babies and yew hedges are quite capable of surviving side by side, they have done for years.
In fact the berries are not poisonous, (the aril), but the seeds are.

Chew the foliage at your peril, but its not something I did as a baby.

 

Exactly what I was going to say - when I give the hedge its annual hair cut it doesnt take that long with a good trimmer, but it takes atleast twice a long to get rid of the cuttings. I have thought about grubbing it out, but the birdies like it & it looks good once its grown out a bit.

 

Yes I do think it's relevant Pete, some people are nervous of poisonous plants. My own daughter on finding out I have one in my garden and that they are poisonous was very wary as the grandchildren play out there.

 

We keep some old bed sheets. Put them down before you start cutting. Makes it easy to gather the leaves, they then get dumped on our "heap." (Or could be bagged.)

 

But Sheal, loads of garden plants are poisonous, some get a bad name, but if you take that approach you will just grow grass and veg.

 

I know that too Pete, but new gardeners and people that don't garden like my daughter, aren't aware of that, so when they come across a plant that they have been told is poisonous it makes them wary.