Overgrown Laurel Hedge DESTROYED My Hedge Trimmer

My long-reach hedge trimmer was DESTROYED by this overgrown laurel hedge. What started as a straightforward hedge reduction quickly turned into a much bigger job when the blades began getting stuck and eventually stopped working altogether. I was asked by the homeowner to reduce the height of a large, overgrown laurel hedge that had spread across both their garden and the neighbouring property. The hedge was extremely thick, with some branches reaching around 2 inches in diameter, so there was quite a bit of work involved. I started by tackling the sides using my STIHL long reach hedge trimmer. When cutting laurel, I generally like to keep the cut fairly tight to encourage dense new growth and prevent it from spreading outwards too much. However, this meant cutting through some much thicker branches than I would normally tackle with the hedge trimmer. Before I had even finished the first side, I noticed the blades were starting to struggle. Even the smallest leaves were causing them to stick, which was a sign something wasn't right. I suspect the trimmer may have already been weakened by a previous impact with a larger branch, potentially affecting the blade mechanism or gearbox. With my main hedge trimmer now out of action, I had to change my approach. I switched to my STIHL pole saw attachment to reduce the height of the hedge, cutting through the thicker branches that the hedge trimmer couldn't handle. This was ideal for removing the larger sections and bringing the hedge down to the required height. Once the thicker branches had been removed, I used my STIHL short reach hedge trimmer and Henchman ladder to start shaping the top. The driveway leading up to the garage was on a steep slope, so I had to take extra care when positioning the ladder and making sure it was secure before working along the hedge. I then moved around to the other side, which was much easier to access. Using the short-reach hedge trimmer, I reduced and shaped the face before working along the top to bring everything down to the new height. There were still some particularly thick branches to deal with, so I also used my Silky hand saw to cut through them. Where branches were too large or awkward, I went back to the pole saw to remove them safely and efficiently. The homeowner had also asked me to reduce an apple tree growing alongside the laurel hedge, bringing it down to roughly the same height as the newly reduced hedge. With the main reduction complete, I went back through the hedge to establish a clean, level top and create a much straighter front face. I worked along the entire length, adjusting the height and shape until everything was consistent on both sides. I also removed the loose branches that had become caught inside the hedge during cutting, making sure the finished shape looked as clean as possible. I decided to give the long-reach hedge trimmer one final go on the remaining smaller sections. Unfortunately, even the small branches and leaves were still stopping the blades from engaging properly. It was clear that this overgrown laurel hedge had finally finished off my hedge trimmer. The final stage was clearing up. I raked together the hedge cuttings from both sides, filled the green waste bags and loaded everything into the van. I then used my STIHL BR600 leaf blower to clear the driveway and surrounding areas, leaving everything tidy. Despite the hedge trimmer breaking halfway through the job, I managed to get the entire laurel hedge reduced, shaped and levelled, along with the apple tree. A big hedge reduction, a broken hedge trimmer and a lot of green waste later... another garden transformation complete. If you enjoy satisfying hedge trimming, overgrown laurel hedge cutting, hedge reductions, garden maintenance, garden transformations and real gardening jobs, subscribe for more videos from The Welsh Gardener. #HedgeTrimming #LaurelHedge #GardenTransformation