Advice needed - big leylandii badly damaged by storm

[NyxTaryn]

Hello everyone! So unfortunately, the biggest tree in our garden suffered a bit of damage in the last storm/snow and has now suffered a lot more damage in the most recent storm (we're in a red alert area). We're getting some arborists/tree surgeons out to look at it and give us some quotes, but I thought I would check on here as well and see what people would recommend in this instance. Ideally, we'd like to save the tree and maintain as much of its size as possible, but obviously we don't want to leave it up if it poses a substantial risk to us or our property. (Our house about 20m away from the tree, facing the non-damaged section) We were lucky when this came down that nobody was hurt and there was only minimal damage to the garage roof and a nearby tree. So far, we've had one tree surgeon come out who has suggested we remove the broken sections (obviously), but also reduce the height of the tree by half to decrease the risk of it breaking further in future storms and give it protection from the surrounding shorter trees. I was under the impression topping a conifer tree usually just makes it weaker and uglier, but maybe it's the best option under the circumstances. I...s that something others would recommend here? If not, what would you do instead?

[Steve Bullman]

Thats going to be a potential weak point in a tree species thats prone to failure already. You could reduce is to make safe, and then keep re-reducing it every few years to keep on top of it, but ultimately all you're every going to be left with is a pretty crap looking tree. I'd fell it and be done with.

[NyxTaryn]

Thanks. Would you need to reduce it substantially to make it safe? Taking half the height off seemed a bit brutal. It looks fine (for now at least) from the other side, so if it can be saved we could potentially disguise this section with other trees. Why are leylandii more prone to failure than others? If we do remove it, we'd ideally like to plant something in its place, but if they're prone to issues like this, maybe we'd be best off picking something else.

[peds]

Taking the top off a leylandii will only make it angry, and instead of one top, in fewer years than you think you'll have half a dozen replacement tops wanting to snap off in a storm. You won't keep on top of the maintenance (be honest with yourself here), it'll escape.

 

Get rid, plant six more (appropriate) trees around your property, sit back and watch them grow.

[NyxTaryn]

4 minutes ago, peds said:

Taking the top off a leylandii will only make it angry, and instead of one top, in fewer years than you think you'll have half a dozen replacement tops wanting to snap off in a storm. You won't keep on top of the maintenance (be honest with yourself here), it'll escape.

 

Get rid, plant six more (appropriate) trees around your property, sit back and watch them grow.

Is there any way to reduce the height without fully taking the top off it and making it angry 😂? Which trees would you say are most reliable/easy to maintain? We have plenty of space for trees here, so we're not too worried if they get tall, so long as we're careful with how they're planted.

[Mark Bolam]

You could try taking the bottom half off instead.

[peds]

10 minutes ago, NyxTaryn said:

Is there any way to reduce the height without fully taking the top off it ...

 

Well, I mean... no... unless you want to do this?

 

 

That'll reduce the height without taking the top off.

[NyxTaryn]

16 minutes ago, peds said:

 

Well, I mean... no... unless you want to do this?

 

 

That'll reduce the height without taking the top off.

Fair enough lol.

[Big J]

Fell it and replace with something nicer. Literally anything is nicer than a leylandii.

 

[NyxTaryn]

58 minutes ago, Big J said:

Fell it and replace with something nicer. Literally anything is nicer than a leylandii.

 

I quite like it personally - I know lots of people hate them (and I'd probably have chosen something else if I was planting the garden myself), but it was the tallest, most impressive tree in our garden (and my partner's favourite for that reason), hence the desire to keep it if we could.

[peds]

I know what you mean, I really do. I think any kind of leylandii or cypress out in the middle of a field, on its own, like you get as specimen trees on big estates, are absolutely stunning. I hate a leylandii hedge, but a big tree can be beautiful.

As soon as you go snipping into it though... you'll be starting a cycle of problems for the tree that you'll find it difficult to keep on top of, especially with that big wound low down.

My advice would be to either keep the tree or don't, but don't go creating new problems by doing half a job.