It’s the season for autumn chores. There are more chores than you have time to complete, so time-saving techniques are a must. Perhaps you have a bush or two around your property scheduled for removal. You are dreading the long process of trimming away all the branches and digging up the roots. It is a headache, and you have been putting it off. Today I will demonstrate a quicker and easier method which turns bush removal into a fifteen minute process.

The idea is simple: remove the bush by pulling it out, roots and all. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to do this. For a modest bush all you need is a length of heavy duty chain and a pickup truck. Larger removal may require a strong tractor and benefit from equipment such as the clamping Brush Grubber (available for several sizes of saplings). If you don’t have a truck yourself you probably know someone who would have great fun stopping by to rip a bush out of the ground with their truck. Most truck owners like showing off the power of their vehicle!

To remove the bush wrap one end of the chain around the base of the bush and hook the chain snugly to itself. It is important to not wrap the chain too high, or it might slip over the top of the push when you attempt to pull it out. Right at ground level is best. If your bush is particularly troublesome you can wrap the chain around several times to give it more catch on the bush. Once you have one end of the chain wrapped around the bush back your truck up as close as you can. Attach the loose end of the chain to the back of your truck. Make sure you attach the chain to a towing hitch or some other sturdy part of the truck. Do not attach the chain to the bumper itself, which is not meant for towing! If you do you could potentially pull off the truck bumper.

Once you have the chain securely hooked, put the truck in drive and slowly advance. If at first the bush does not come free, back up to put a bit of slack on the chain and repeat. Most bushes will come out on the first pull, but even the most stubborn I have dealt with come out after a few tugs. In fifteen minutes or less you have removed a bush, roots and all. Repeat as often as necessary to remove all your bushes, and then move on to the next fall project. Now if only everything were that easy!