Laurel Tree fence position

[igazz]

Hi, getting different advice from Fencing companies about fence post position so thought I would seek advice from persons more knowledgeable about trees than fencing. The fence is getting replaced as well as the posts as they have moved out of alignment. One post however is very close to the Laurel (see photo). The new post ideally would stay in roughly the same position to avoid having half fence panels but it move move about 10 inches 'away' from it.

Is this likely to cause damage to the tree? Another suggestion was to fit the new posts 3ft either of the tree which sounds less damaging to the tree but would probably result in two half panels in the run of fencing which I was trying to avoid. 

Is either option unlikey to cause damage to the tree as we don't want to lose it. Thanks 

[nepia]

21 minutes ago, peds said:

 

I could never side with the idea of keeping a laurel unless someone buried a beloved family pet or conceived their firstborn under it. They are an ecological disaster, contributing absolutely nothing to their environment - not even an annual leafdrop for either compost or humus.

Almost agree but - the flowers are hugely attractive to pollinating insects and the timber makes fine firewood!

 

As for making a good hedge - only if you keep cutting them as they grow to thicken the branch structure.

 

But overall you get my vote

 

 

[Dan Maynard]

18 hours ago, igazz said:

Would boring a new post hole 12 inches (or alternatively  3 feet) away from the existing post cause the tree to die.

No.

 

In fact boring a hole down through the middle of the stem probably would just cause it to sprout loads from the base. Very unlikely to die unless you pour glyphosate into the hole, and even then I wouldn't guarantee it. It's a laurel.

 

[john87]

Who owns the fence and how do you know/

 

john..

[igazz]

19 hours ago, john87 said:

Who owns the fence and how do you know/

 

john..

The fence belongs to my elderly neighbours in the house behind the tree according to the land registry/deeds but we were offering to pay half the cost of the new fence. I am in the house to the right with the dog. 

Tempted to remove the tree (shrub) after receiving advice in this chat but it's not going to be cheap to have the tree removed, pay half toward the fence and then replant a few other decent size trees!

[igazz]

On 19/01/2024 at 18:30, Dan Maynard said:

No.

 

In fact boring a hole down through the middle of the stem probably would just cause it to sprout loads from the base. Very unlikely to die unless you pour glyphosate into the hole, and even then I wouldn't guarantee it. It's a laurel.

 

 

Thanks Dan, at least I know that keeping the tree and putting in a new fence post is still an option

[igazz]

On 19/01/2024 at 07:20, peds said:

 

I could never side with the idea of keeping a laurel unless someone buried a beloved family pet or conceived their firstborn under it. They are an ecological disaster, contributing absolutely nothing to their environment - not even an annual leafdrop for either compost or humus. They are hugely effective as an evergreen hedge, I'll grant them that, but that's all your shrub is... an escaped hedge. 

Again, sorry if it has some attached sentimental value, but if the last remaining "tree" on your road is this sorry little thing, then you need to get some more in the ground ASAP.

 

If you are really that bothered with that specific plant, you could dig it out of the ground with a digger and place it wherever, give it a bit of a haircut (ideally down to ground level...), and it'll probably just shrug it off. This'll give its neighbour to the right there a bit more light as well... what is that one, by the way? He might be a bit close to the fence, and the house, too...

(Edit: the bark looks a little beechy to me...)

Sorry you don't like Laurels Peds, I actually really like them for the reasons you state, evergreen, screening  indestructible. If I was to remove it and plant three or four more trees along side the new fence, which would you suggest with similar  characteristics? Hornbeam?

Not that I would, but is it actually possible to move a tree/shrub of that size without killing it? I thought it would be impossible