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Trimming round Rose bushes.

I have a number of Rose bushes in a lawn and I can't use a strimmer because of the risk of damaging them,  I don't want to use a pair of shears because its a tedious job.  Does anyone know of a small strimmer that can be held in one hand while the other hand is used to hold a piece of Hardboard or the like to protect the Rose bush?  

Posts

  • I have one of these for my topiary and my box hedge.  Absolutely love it.  You could take a look and see whether it might work for you. 
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-Cordless-Edging-Shrub-Shear/dp/B00GZLFQB6/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1532340487&sr=1-1&keywords=cordless+hedge+trimmer+topiary
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Can we have a photo please?  Do you mean that the grass goes right up to the 'trunk' of the rose bush?  How do you feed and mulch? 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    It will be hard to care well for the roses, with grass right up to the stems - feeding, watering, removing dead leaves against black spot etc.
    Can you not clear small circles round them and either make a gutter or edge with something to make mowing simpler?

    I have a couple of shrub roses growing well in grass, but it is part of my meadow and only gets cut down in late autumn, so I don't have the same  problem. 
    But I find that a good pair of scissors is often quicker and easier for small tricky areas and only requires one hand!
  • You can buy tube-shaped strimmer guards for trees. Not sure if they would work for roses though.
  • BMLBML Posts: 151

    Firstly many thanks for the information on the gadget I hope Bosch have not started to have their devices made in Asia though.  

    Can we have a photo please?  Do you mean that the grass goes right up to the 'trunk' of the rose bush?  How do you feed and mulch? httpwwwwildfoodinfoimagessmiliesicon_e_confusedgif

    Secondly I admit to be a hooligan in the garden and my roses do have grass right up to the stems.  I don’t feed and didn’t know that Roses needed watering.

    I was quite happy when the area was covered with gravel until my wife said it was to difficult to weed and insisted on a lawn so I’m not inclined to clear small circles round the roses, make a gutter or edge them with anything.

    Only three months to my wife’s birthday so a good pair of scissors is a brilliant suggestion.

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    BML. There's another thread that's right up your street ;)
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Saw a professional gardener using a really cool cutter the other day. It looked like a conventional strimmer head with a cord but it had a cover over the top that looked like an upside down biscuit tin and the best bit was it had two wheels at the back for pushing instead of dislocating your shoulder as you use it .because it had deep sides to it, he could get right up to plant stems and trunks without cutting through them.maybe it was a modified lawnmower or he was clever enough to invent it himself
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