Hedge trimming - 3 point vs bucket mount

sam_33 · Aug 20, 2023

Hi all,

My family has several hundred feet of tall laurel hedge to keep trimmed off a gravel access road up to 10-12' or higher ideally. We have a Ferguson TE-20 which has always been set up with a Dearborn type loader and wide bucket, with a big counterweight box in the back. I've been looking into a couple different ways to make pruning this hedge easier, in past we have done it by hand with a gas trimmer which is a huge chore, and as they get older are less enthusiastic about

Most of the crews I see use boom flail mowers on much larger tractors, but Bush Hog offers a sickle type boom for lighter tractors (model PT5), which is 3 point mounted. There's also a Chinese knockoff (FH-BRM series) which I'm sure is a few $k cheaper.

There is also the bucket mounted Sabre Samurai, when I searched this forum saw people generally had a good opinion of it. I like that it fits in with the tractor's existing configuration, and that at least some of the trimmings would fall right into the bucket. However it lacks the adjustability of a boom type trimmer which would be nice, due to the varying slope in some areas.

Was curious to hear anyone's experience with either of these or other attachments suitable for a small tractor like the TE-20 for trimming tall hedges, and any preferences on the 3 point vs bucket mount. Budget is pretty flexible for me short of buying a new tractor, I'd like to get something that works well, lasts and is easy to maintain.

ruffdog · Aug 20, 2023

I think you are going to need a different tractor and $et-up.

leonz · Aug 21, 2023

sam_33 said:
Hi all,

My family has several hundred feet of tall laurel hedge to keep trimmed off a gravel access road up to 10-12' or higher ideally. We have a Ferguson TE-20 which has always been set up with a Dearborn type loader and wide bucket, with a big counterweight box in the back. I've been looking into a couple different ways to make pruning this hedge easier, in past we have done it by hand with a gas trimmer which is a huge chore, and as they get older are less enthusiastic about

Most of the crews I see use boom flail mowers on much larger tractors, but Bush Hog offers a sickle type boom for lighter tractors (model PT5), which is 3 point mounted. There's also a Chinese knockoff (FH-BRM series) which I'm sure is a few $k cheaper.

There is also the bucket mounted Sabre Samurai, when I searched this forum saw people generally had a good opinion of it. I like that it fits in with the tractor's existing configuration, and that at least some of the trimmings would fall right into the bucket. However it lacks the adjustability of a boom type trimmer which would be nice, due to the varying slope in some areas.

Was curious to hear anyone's experience with either of these or other attachments suitable for a small tractor like the TE-20 for trimming tall hedges, and any preferences on the 3 point vs bucket mount. Budget is pretty flexible for me short of buying a new tractor, I'd like to get something that works well, lasts and is easy to maintain.

You will be money ahead and better off renting a 4 wheel drive aerial lift and buying a full body harness to do all your pruning.

Investing in a Stihl pole pruner with an extendable drive shaft and a heavy hedge pruning head and chain saw head will cost
you much less money and will let you prune the hedge with a tapered cut from the top down more effectively and every couple
of years and also spray it with a growth retardant after its pruned.

The Bush Hog Power Trim is $16,000 + tax and freight so you could rent a 4 wheel drive aerial lift and invest in a good pole pruner
with several different heads and a full body harness for much less money.

Tinhack · Aug 21, 2023

There are some side-shift flail mowers that will stand up at 90 degrees. This would allow you to trim under/near the hedges as well as the sides. Don't think that TE-20 could handle much off-set without some additional weight on the opposing side though. Trimming the tops would still be a chore left to something else. Perhaps a gas-powered hedge trimmer mounted to your bucket.

ruffdog · Aug 21, 2023

I think using a tractor with a live PTO would be a much better choice for the OP.

4570Man · Aug 21, 2023

A gasoline powered pole mounted trimmer and some hired labor to run it is probably a lot more practical than spending thousands for an attachment.

sam_33 · Aug 22, 2023

4570Man said:
A gasoline powered pole mounted trimmer and some hired labor to run it is probably a lot more practical than spending thousands for an attachment.

Was hoping to find something not real physically intensive so that I could hand off the job to my parents, but I am now tempted to take a week or 2 off, clear the road get the hedge into shape and then see how much work it actually is to maintain once or twice a year using the gas trimmer.

Tinhack said:
There are some side-shift flail mowers that will stand up at 90 degrees. This would allow you to trim under/near the hedges as well as the sides. Don't think that TE-20 could handle much off-set without some additional weight on the opposing side though. Trimming the tops would still be a chore left to something else. Perhaps a gas-powered hedge trimmer mounted to your bucket.

I like this idea if the gas trimmer turns out to be too much work to maintain the whole hedge, at least the flail mower gets a good chunk taken out of the bottom feet of the hedge and is useful for clearing blackberries and weeds elsewhere too. Fortunately I don't have to worry about the tops, only have to trim enough to get a truck and trailer through sometimes, these laurel trees are easily 20' tall. Would love to eventually take them out and replace with something slower growing and easier to manage, but that isn't my decision at this point.

kthompson · Aug 22, 2023

Sam, I have to look up your tractor and will begin with it will not work I don't think. What I found was an older tractor if that is not correct forgive me.

No idea what it is like in your area but here would suggest you hire it done. If it cost a $1,000 a year that is several years of trimming. I have boom mower which would do what you want, but you need say a 6,000 pound tractor to be stable with it. You need very slow speeds for such cutting. Normally low range in a lower gear. You have to be very aware of tipping and controlling the mower. You don't just set and cut when trimming. You will constantly be adjusting the cutter or I am.

I have an offset rear flail mower that will rotate up 90 degrees. No way would that design reach the top of the hedges on the side, much less allow cutting the top.

Back to hiring it, here many farmers do custom trimming in the off season and you may find renting an option. Along that line for me hauling a tractor with boom mower mounted was not easy.

Now, spend some time on youtube.com and find some homemade design with that will solve your need. It just may be out there. Be safe, cutting above head high is hard to watch.