How to Remove Shrubs: DIY Methods, Costs, and When to Hire a Pro

Every yard has at least one shrub that needs to go. Maybe it’s the overgrown juniper swallowing the front walk. Maybe it’s the privet hedge that hasn’t been trimmed since the previous owner lived here. Maybe it’s a dead boxwood that turned brown and never recovered.

Removing a shrub is straightforward if it’s small. It gets progressively harder as the root system gets older and more established. A 3-year-old boxwood pops out in 20 minutes. A 20-year-old privet with roots running under your driveway is a full-day project. Here’s how to handle both.

When to remove shrubs

Best time: Late fall through early spring (November-March), when the ground is moist and the shrub is dormant. Dormant shrubs are lighter (no leaves on deciduous species), and moist soil makes root extraction far easier than rock-hard summer clay.

Worst time: Mid-summer. The ground is hard, you’re exhausted in 20 minutes, and you still have to deal with mosquitoes. If you must remove in summer, soak the area deeply for two days before starting.

After rain is ideal. A day or two after a good soaking rain, the soil yields roots much more easily. Plan your removal around the weather if you can.

Tools you’ll need

For small shrubs (under 4 feet, less than 5 years old):

• Bypass loppers
• Hand pruning saw
• Round-point shovel
• Garden fork

For medium shrubs (4-8 feet, 5-15 years):

• Everything above, plus:
• Mattock or pickaxe (the most useful shrub removal tool)
• Digging bar or pry bar
• Reciprocating saw with pruning blade (optional but saves hours)

For large, established shrubs (8+ feet, 15+ years):

• Everything above, plus:
• A truck or vehicle with a tow strap (for pulling stubborn root balls)
• Chainsaw for thick stems

Total tool investment for a well-equipped DIY shrub removal: $100-200 if you’re buying new. Most homeowners already have half of this in the garage.

Step-by-step: removing a shrub by hand

Step 1: Cut the top growth

Cut all branches back to 6-12 inch stubs using loppers and a pruning saw. Leave enough stub to grab when you pull, but remove the bulk of the canopy so you can see and access the root crown.

For large shrubs, use a chainsaw or reciprocating saw on thick trunks. Stack the branches for disposal. If the shrub is disease-free, chip it for mulch or add it to your compost pile. Good mulching technique is covered in our landscaping around trees guide.

Step 2: Dig a trench around the root ball

Using a shovel and mattock, dig a trench 12-18 inches out from the trunk stubs, going 12-18 inches deep. You’re cutting through the lateral roots that anchor the shrub. This is the hardest part of the job.

A mattock is far more effective than a shovel for cutting through roots. The axe head chops roots. The adze head (the horizontal blade) pries soil and roots loose. If you don’t own a mattock, rent one. It’s worth $15 for a day rental.

Step 3: Cut under the root ball

Once the trench is complete, angle your shovel or mattock under the root ball from multiple sides. You’re cutting the taproot and any deep anchoring roots. Rock the stump back and forth as you cut underneath. You’ll feel it start to loosen.

Step 4: Lever and pull

Jam a digging bar or pry bar under the root ball and lever it up. Work around the root ball, prying from different angles. Once the root ball lifts several inches, grab the stubs and pull while prying.

For stubborn shrubs, wrap a tow strap around the stubs and attach it to a vehicle. Short, steady pulls work better than jerking. The remaining roots snap progressively. This method works incredibly well for privet, holly, and other deep-rooted species.

Step 5: Remove remaining roots

Dig out major root pieces from the hole. You don’t need to get every last root fragment. Small root pieces left in the soil will decompose. Large root stubs from aggressive spreaders (privet, running bamboo, barberry) should be removed to prevent regrowth.

Step 6: Fill and grade

Backfill the hole with the excavated soil. Tamp it down firmly. The area will settle over the next few weeks, so mound the soil 2-3 inches above grade. Water the filled hole to settle air pockets.

Preventing regrowth

Some shrubs resprout aggressively from any root fragments left in the soil. These are the usual suspects:

• Privet (Ligustrum): Will resprout from root fragments for years
• Japanese barberry: Persistent resprouter
• Burning bush (Euonymus): Roots and seeds both regenerate
• Butterfly bush (Buddleia): Seeds everywhere plus root sprouts
• Running bamboo: The hardest shrub to permanently remove (period)

Chemical stump treatment: Immediately after cutting, paint the cut stump surface with a concentrated triclopyr-based herbicide (Ortho Brush-B-Gon, Crossbow). The freshly cut wood absorbs the herbicide and translocates it to the roots. This is the most reliable way to prevent regrowth from aggressive species. Apply within 30 minutes of cutting for best absorption.

Solarization: For areas with multiple shrubs removed, cover the ground with clear plastic sheeting for 4-6 weeks during summer. The heat kills remaining root fragments and weed seeds. This works well for large-scale renovation.

Specific shrub removal challenges

Juniper and arborvitae

Shallow, spreading root systems. Relatively easy to remove once cut back. The main challenge is the spread: a mature juniper can have roots extending 8-10 feet from the trunk in all directions. You don’t need to dig every root. Remove the root ball and main laterals. Cut any runners you expose but don’t excavate the entire root zone.

If you’re replacing old junipers with new plants, check our tall narrow shrubs guide and privacy shrubs guide for modern alternatives.

Privet

The most-removed shrub in American yards. Privet roots run deep and wide, and every root fragment can sprout a new plant. Cut the trunk, treat the stump with triclopyr immediately, then dig out the root ball. Monitor for sprouts over the next year and treat any that appear with spot herbicide.

Boxwood

Compact root ball, relatively easy to remove for the size of the plant. Old boxwood (20+ years) develops woody root crowns that are tough to cut through. A reciprocating saw with a long pruning blade makes quick work of the root crown.

Holly

Deep taproot plus lateral roots with sharp-leaved regrowth. Wear heavy leather gloves. The fallen leaves have spines that persist for months in the soil. Chemical stump treatment is strongly recommended for holly to prevent resprouting.

Rose of Sharon / Hibiscus

Easy to dig but seeds itself everywhere. After removal, expect seedlings to appear for 2-3 years. Pull them when small.

Professional shrub removal costs

Hiring out shrub removal makes sense when you have many shrubs, very large specimens, or the work involves root systems near utilities, foundations, or irrigation lines.

Shrub size	DIY time	Professional cost
Small (under 4 ft)	20-45 minutes	$50-100 per shrub
Medium (4-8 ft)	1-3 hours	$100-250 per shrub
Large (8+ ft)	3-6 hours	$250-500 per shrub
Hedge row (per linear foot)	Varies	$15-30 per linear foot

Most landscaping companies charge $50-100 per small shrub with a minimum service call of $200-300. Volume discounts apply: removing 10 shrubs is cheaper per-shrub than removing one.

What’s included: Cutting, digging, removal, hauling away debris, and basic hole filling. Grading, soil amendment, and replanting are usually separate charges.

What to do after removal

Don’t leave bare dirt. Bare soil erodes, grows weeds, and looks terrible. Options:

Replant immediately. If you removed shrubs to upgrade your landscape, plant replacements the same week. The holes are already dug. Fall removal plus immediate replanting is the most efficient approach.

Mulch the area. A 3-4 inch layer of wood chip mulch suppresses weeds and improves soil while you decide on a permanent plan.

Amend and prep for planting. If the soil is compacted from years of shrub roots, work in 2-3 inches of compost to the top 8 inches. This is the one time amending soil makes sense (unlike planting trees, where you should use native soil).

Sod or seed. If you’re converting a shrub bed to lawn, lay sod for instant results or seed in fall for economy. Sod costs $1-2 per square foot installed. Seed costs $0.10-0.25 per square foot.

The renovation mindset

Shrub removal isn’t destruction. It’s the first step in a landscape renovation that will look better than what you had. Twenty-year-old overgrown shrubs blocking windows, swallowing walkways, and harboring pests aren’t serving your yard anymore. Take them out, improve the soil, and plant something that works. For design ideas after removing old shrubs, see our front yard landscaping guide and mklibrary.com’s curb appeal wins.