Laylandi topping.

[Paul Tomo]

17 hours ago, Gary Prentice said:

Shortening the ascending lateral limbs would take a couple of extra minutes. 

Leaving them as he has will allow them to romp away and become more prone to damage by snow and wind. Also, the tree will be a bugger to reduce again in the future because there's no central point in it - they'll just be loads of skinning poles around the hollow centre.

Kill it , its a Leyland cypress, it'll survive a lot worse than that.

 

EDIT: As long as you don't bare it to old wood it will continue to grow.. You can cut the foliage back hard as long as there's still foliage there. It won't produce new growth from bare wood, like yew would, but it will tolerate pretty harsh pruning. 

Thanks Gary for the input, would you think it’s worth me going back and taking the lateral limbs off or just leave it as it is. I think it would put me in good stead for more work.

[Stere]

I reckon leave it just  do a better  job next time

 

You will appreciate why its best to do all the sides  as much as possible (without cutting into bare wood) when you come across a previously topped a 5m wide hedge with a  hollow bit in middle of dead sticks where it hasn't regrown

 

Thats how they seem often too  end up ?

 

By cutting alot of the top but not sides this is kind  of what  you may have created.

 

In  an ideal world leylandi woulds be trimmed regular or not at all or not planted in first place as other hegding can grown from dead wood

[doobin]

21 minutes ago, Stere said:

In  an ideal world leylandi woulds be trimmed regular or not at all or not planted in first place as other hegding can grown from dead wood

Steady on- I'm relying on overgrown leylandii to pay off all my finance!

Edited September 12, 2019 by doobin

[Gary Prentice]

11 hours ago, Paul Tomo said:

Thanks Gary for the input, would you think it’s worth me going back and taking the lateral limbs off or just leave it as it is. I think it would put me in good stead for more work.

That decision is totally yours I'm afraid   Returning would lead you to having to acknowledge that you didn't quite do it right but if you understand and can explain the 'error', it shows some professionalism in that you've been prepared to go back to do it 'properly' after consulting with more 'knowledgeable ' colleagues. You'll end up knowing much more than almost all your clients so usually the best judge of good work is yourself - most clients are quite pleased with poor work if it's achieved their objectives. So I suppose the question is, can you live with it?  

I'm assuming that you're quite new to arb so you'll learn as you go along. (We all did!) and keep learning. As Stere said you'll come across the consequences of leaving the sides uncut and suddenly realise how things grow. Don't sweat it, it's not a disaster. As you get some time in you'll see trees that you've worked on and how they've reacted to your pruning, it's par of the learning curve.

 

What's impressive is that you've asked the questions, posted pics of your work and accepted the (constructive) criticisms with good grace. That attitude is priceless and encourages other peoples continuing positive input.

I wish you well.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

12 hours ago, Paul Tomo said:

I think it would put me in good stead for more work.

This is the oldest trick in the (customer) book - give me a good price and there's plenty more work for you...

 

When put through the (customer) translator it comes out as - If I screw this mug down £20 harder than the last one he'll be tied into cheap rates if I ever throw him another bone later on.

 

When put through the (business) translator it comes out as - here's another 'king tight ass chancer looking to set and establish a mugs rate on the vague promise of an eternity of working my tits off for peanuts.  I think I'll give him a slash and run then block his number from the phone.  When he's exhausted all the other mugs I might go back if he's well and truly in a spot but it'll be premium rate + TT.

Edited September 12, 2019 by kevinjohnsonmbe

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

43 minutes ago, Gary Prentice said:

That attitude is priceless and encourages other peoples continuing positive input.

I wish you well.

Dhooooh!  Should have read that bit first!  I agree and absolutely support Gary's sentiment.  I just explained it a bit different is all....  

Edited September 12, 2019 by kevinjohnsonmbe

[Mick Dempsey]

4 minutes ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

This is the oldest trick in the (customer) book - give me a good price and there's plenty more work for you...

 

When put through the (customer) translator it comes out as - If I screw this mug down £20 harder than the last one he'll be tied into cheap rates if I ever throw him another bone later on.

 

When put through the (business) translator it comes out as - here's another 'king tight ass chancer looking to set and establish a mugs rate on the vague promise of an eternity of working my tits off of peanuts.  I think I'll give him a slash and run then block his number from the phone.  When he's exhausted all the other mugs I might go back if he's well and truly in a spot but it'll be premium rate + TT.

Right up there with ‘I know loads of people round here, do me a cheap job I’ll get you loads of work’

 

Translates as ‘everyone thinks I’m a dick’

Edited September 12, 2019 by Mick Dempsey

[oldwoodcutter]

Yes I’ve heard those old chestnuts a thousand times. They are looking for a mug, just make sure it’s not you.