Doesn't seem likely the trimmings from the hedge could be harmful to the hedge from whence they came. If so, it would have killed itself long ago. Look at the conifer forests with years of needle and debris drop.

What you will have is an understory of twigs and rust colored debris as the trimmings lose their green. Won't hurt anything or be smothering unless you trim often and it really piles up to unreasonable levels. If getting a flexible rake under there is impossible, a leaf blower might be the next best thing.

might attract vermin .... such as mice.. rats.. snakes..

or the good version of such ....

sounds pretty cheesy to me.... i guess it depends on how unsightly it may all look ... and what the neighbors may end up saying or thinking about it ...

i dont understand this comment: There is a sidewalk on the high side, but the hedge makes it impassable.

are you blocking the public sidewalk.. or your private walk???

if you are blocking the public sidewalk.. it might be time to start separating from this laborious monster.. and contemplate.. when it is going to have go ....

ken

Thanks for the responses--hopefully I might get more just for interest.

duluthinbloom-yours is a very common sense response. The real issue behind my post was acidic clippings killing the hedge. Not my idea lol. You hit it on the head in a clear response.

ken_adrian-I like your points as well. It is a monstrous hedge yet quite in scale with the surroundings of 100-year old domiciles. Such big hedges are common in the neighborhood. The setting is complicated--a short dead-end brick street (public)is parallel to the hedge. As far as I know, the sidewalks, which border the street here are private (or no one cares who owns then) and lead to our garage. The hedge means a short walk in the quiet street which is no problem.

As for neighbors, none are close and the shrub could probably cover over ten years of clippings without anyone seeing them (wife excepted). Vermin are another matter and I agree with you.

Cheesy? Yes. Time to go? Not as long as it is healthy, which will be longer than I am around if it present condition is any marker. Can you imagine removing something like this?

Other than the task of trimming this big hedge, it is aesthetically pleasing to us, is a conversation piece for sure, and provides an exceptional visual barrier for our backyard activities. We feel it is worth the effort.

All of this started because I got lazy and suggested we leave the hard to reach clippings. My wife removed them and always will. She knows lazy.

I enjoy the perspectives provided--much truth in everything and a bit of education for me. I really appreciate that.

Thanks to both of you.

Mike