conifer topping whats your view

[philip2011]

i have had a friend that has 35 conifers that are 20-25 foot tall that he wants me to top out now from what i have read it should not be done are there any other methods i can suggest to him to reduce the hight or just do what he has asked and top them by 6 foot

cheers in advance phil

[skyhuck]

Is it a hedge?

[Stephen Blair]

All you can do is choose a different name for the procedure that takes height off them.

 

Cutting the top of them is exactly that, topping!

[philip2011]

ye basic but from what i can tell i has never been maintained or looked after just been planted in one long line and left to it he now wants the hight reducing dramatic i have seen topping done before by some one who did not know what they where doing and over the years has killed them off

[MATTMOSS]

There is no problem in doing it as long as it is done again on cyclical basis.

I find the problems occur when you top a conifer hedge and then leave it for years- the regrowth gets large and it starts breaking out.

[philip2011]

so as long as it is kept maintained every 1-2 years should be ok

[Mark Bolam]

Depends if you can keep the sides trimmed in as well as the height.

If you can't you are entering the cycle of doom that we all love so well....

[Johny Walker]

they will need to be topped out @ ground leval

[lmtrees]

the veiw will be alot better when you top them!!

[philip2011]

he has not spoke about the sides been trimmed might be difficult to do as well as they are very bushy and i can do his side but not sure how his neigbours would react done some work for him before and all i can say is they are not friendly or nice people