digging up a burning bush
 

I've got a burning bush that I am assuming is 30+ years old. Over the past year, is has been slowly having large branches die and the winter pretty much did it in. Does anyone know what kind of root system (depth (& spread) a burning bush has?

Burning Bush have a pretty intense root system. Of all the shrubs I have ripped out over the years, Burning Bushes and yews are my least favorite. Ultimatley they are the 2 favored shrubs from my grandparents era. 1950-1960.
A good shovel and an axe should solve the problem. They do not have a huge tap root like a yew has. They have more of a fibrous mass under the soil. Still tough to the end. Start digging at the canopy line and work your way in. Be sure to beat on the root ball because the fibrous roots will hold the soil and it will be very heavy. Chop it up as best as you can.

get a tree spade you'll be glad to own one

Thanks guys, I appreciate your thoughts. I think the plot just thicked a bit in that I suspect the gas and water lines into the house could be in the area, I need to jerk this bush out. So once I determine the exact location of the utilities, then I can figure out how to attack this.

Thanks again!
RC

Rc,
funny you mention this. I just pulled out eight BB's yesterday. Mine were about 18 years old. I had cut them down last fall and left about 18" sticking out of the ground. I wrapped a towchain around them and yanked them out with my atv. I took a mattock and chopped around them a bit at first. Then a couple of good yanks and they came out. My atv is a polaris 700, weighs about 800#, and it worked a bit to get them out.
Mike Hawkins:)

burning bush
 

Hey Hawk..
Thanks for the information. Roughly how deep did the roots go?

The roots weren't that deep, maybe a foot or so. There was one or two heavy ones that would travel out horizontally. Those are the ones I tried to find with the maddock and chop through them, and then give them a big yank. If the polaris wouldn't have done it, I was going to get the jeep wrangler out and show em who's boss.:)
Mike Hawkins

What he said. completely agree. I ripped out 5 or 6 that had only been in place a few years. I've pulled out good size trees that were easier than those burning bushes. I can't imagine what it'd be like to pull out one that's been there so many years. Good luck.