We have discovered a new tool which helps us manually extract rhodies*: a portable winch, properly known as a tirfor. Seb, a young forester friend of ours, borrowed his girlfriend’s father’s winch and we took it to a site near Ferry Wood.
We realised they are best used where you find rhodies under a canopy, with trees nearby so you can use the trunks as anchor points for the winch. It is very effective at ripping out big shrubs, roots and all – though you need to get the angles right.
We tackled a big one which turned out to be several shrubs which had grown laterally, with one big central root bowl. Some of the stems just snapped off whilst others ripped out nicely, bringing the layered stems with them. We were left with a root bowl split in two halves, and we found you could remove these by digging out holes with a root saw or axe and inserting the chain under the bowl.
We were pleased with the result – it is a lot less effort than tackling big ones with a mattock. It can be done on one’s own but best in a team of at least two, as one can stay by the shrub and fasten the chains whilst the other can operate the winch at the anchor point.
I was well pleased with what we achieved – no more wearing out my shoulder with a mattock! I am sold on a winch!
*Rhododendrons
