How Big'a Ones Can I get out?

   HOW BIG A' ONES CAN I GET OUT? Is a question I often get but I can't say for sure because a lot depends on the weight, strength and mostly determination of the operator. From my extensive experience and comments I've received, I can safely say that the average man can pop out honeysuckles up to 10 ft. high (8-10 years old) fairly easily and 10 to 15 ft ones (10 - 15 years old) with a little work. Regardless of the height though, what really matters is the stump size and shape. Below, I can give you a good idea and show you ones that I've gotten out.

This picture has 2 general types of honeysuckle stumps. The 4" and 8.5" are what I call 'multi stem'. the 3.5" is 'solid stem' around 10 years old.


Look at the roots and you will notice that root size mimics the stem size. This is almost always the case. The 3.5" (diameter) is what I call 'solid stem', the 4" and 8.5" are 'multi stem'. The 3.5" solid and the 8.5" multi take about the same ammount of effort because of the difference in the roots.
Almost everyone will be able to get out the 4" multi stem (6-8ft tall) in a single pop with either popper, and solid stems up to 1-2" (6-10' tall). My wife has taken out some over 10' tall with the Popper-Lite. Its laughable how easy all the ones smaller than this pop out, so I'm not wasting any time on them.
The 8.5" multi (8-12' tall) and 3.5" solid (10-15' tall) are Popper H-D territory, and I remove ones like this regularly with relative ease. Both of these will usually take 2-6 'pops' and 2-5 minutes to totally remove with some experience. These are the ones that the felco saw I sell comes in really handy to sever stubborn roots.

Once you start getting to ones larger than the above, you definitely need some experience with the popper. I have popped out some whoppers myself. I'll go to work on a big one, but if I get past 15 minutes or so, I give up, cut it down and smother the stump with plastic which kills the stump. The ones over 5" (diameter) solid stem and 10" multi stem are too big for me, so I saw them off and smother without attempting using the Popper.
Women, Boy Scouts and high school boys can and are using the Popper H-D. Generally though, I say (hoping not to offend you stronger ladies out there) that the Popper H-D is the mans tool, the Popper-Lite the ladies tool.

Heres some big ones popped by a couple customers and myself.