Call 811 nationwide to have your utilities located before you dig in your own yard. Avoid dangerous gas lines and electricity lines. Cutting them can kill you. Also, don’t cut your own cable, satellite or internet by accident. You’ll feel foolish.

So, Call 811 before you start digging.

You can also do it online at call811.com.

Great Hedge Trimmer!

Shindaiwa makes trimming hedges easier.

A while back, I made a video showing how I turned my yard from basic to professionally landscaped on a budget. Basically, I hired a landscape architect to draw a landscape plan, then I found a wholesale nursery and put the yard in myself by following the plan. A key part of the landscape plan were the hollies and hedgerows that added structure to the yard. Today, I want to talk about the great hedge trimmer I’ve found to shape those hollies and keep the hedgerows looking their best.

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Old hedge trimmer from Granddad wasn't long enough once hedges and bushes grew too big.

Hedges, bushes, hollies need trimming with pole hedge trimmer.

Small Hedge Trimmer, Big Hedges!

About four years after I planted the hollies and hedges, they had grown enough to need to start trimming them. I started out with an old, electric hedge trimmer from my Granddad. It was a short one and worked OK for a while, but soon the hedges grew bigger, and I needed a pole hedge trimmer. A friend loaned me an electric pole hedge trimmer. It was easier to get to the taller hollies, but it still needed an electric cord, which is always a pain to get out and use. Also, it’s motor was at the cutting end, and, even though it had a pole, it still wasn’t long enough. So I was back up on a ladder trimming hedges with an awkward, unwieldy tool.

Shindaiwa: The Hedge Trimmer Solution

I finally decided to get a commercial-grade, gas-powered pole hedge trimmer. A friend from work highly recommended the Shindaiwa… Now I see why.

Great gas-powered pole hedge trimmer Shindaiwa

Shindaiwa Makes Great Gas-Powered Hedge Trimmer!

The Shindaiwa is a great trimmer. I’ve used it for about a year and a half. With no cord and a great engine, it’s easy to get out and trim more often, and trimming more often is easier. Plus, because the Shindaiwa almost 8 feet long and the cutting head tilts both ways, I hardly ever have to get up on a ladder to trim the bushes. So, it helps keep me safer. All in all, I just wish I had bought it earlier.

3M Worktunes
Hearing Protector / Earmuffs
with Bluetooth!

24 dB Noise Reduction Rating
Bluetooth works great!
Listen to your music or podcasts while you work
Built-in Microphone lets you make and take calls without removing

$35 from Amazon

3M Virtua CCS Protective Eyewear / Safety Glasses

DUST DEFENSE from Foam gasket
WRAP AROUND DESIGN provides extended eye protection and unobstructed viewing
ANTI FOG!: Ideal for humid environments
Absorbs 99.9 percent UVA and UVB

$8 from Amazon

Shindaiwa gas-powered hedge trimmer multi tool folded

Shindaiwa Gas-Powered Hedge Trimmer Features

The Shindaiwa hedge trimmer has some great features, including:

Engine starts easily and runs great
Pole and the cutting head are very long. The whole thing measures almost 8 feet long!
The cutting head tilts in both directions and locks in place.
You can swap out the cutting head for other tools, like a grass edger or grass trimmer.

Shindaiwa gas-powered multitool hedge trimmer multi tool - folded & stored in garage.

Conclusion

I've been very happy with the Shindaiwa gas-powered hedge trimmer. It's made trimming the bushes and hedges less of a chore. So, I end up doing it more often, and the yard looks much better. Because the Shindaiwa pole is so long and its cutting head tilts in both directions, I usually don't need a ladder and can usually stay safely on the ground. Based on my experience for the last year or two of using the Shindaiwa gas-powered pole hedge trimmer, I highly recommend it.

About the Author Christopher Simmons

Christopher is a homeowner in the Raleigh, North Carolina area who enjoys home improvement projects.