conifer topping whats your view

[Dan Earp]

Top it, chip it brew time clean up home

[T33eco]

This may sound like total crud-speak (what's new) but here goes.

 

I have done a few connies over the years and I recon theres a point at which a reduction on leylandii results in no new growth upwards!

 

Yes, once all branches are gone it will not re-grow anyway, but I have seen many examples where a customer insisted on a massive reduction (say.. 60% height) and when we go back to trim the face 2-3 years later there is no new growth at all on the top.

 

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has found this - or am I imagining it?

 

If there is a point at which vertical growth is stopped it could be a useful bit of info to know.

 

Yep your right it does sound like crud speak but I have to say I have come across that scenario on more than one occasion. Never really thought about it much , but I wonder if there is a Magic sweet spot that gives said result .

[daltontrees]

This may sound like total crud-speak (what's new) but here goes.

 

I have done a few connies over the years and I recon theres a point at which a reduction on leylandii results in no new growth upwards!

 

Yes, once all branches are gone it will not re-grow anyway, but I have seen many examples where a customer insisted on a massive reduction (say.. 60% height) and when we go back to trim the face 2-3 years later there is no new growth at all on the top.

 

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has found this - or am I imagining it?

 

If there is a point at which vertical growth is stopped it could be a useful bit of info to know.

 

I came across one last month, the whole heddge had been topped and trimmed too much and it had just given up. Every single one of the 20 trees had died, no other explanation.

 

If you think of Leylandii as trees (it's hard, I know) then in theory the old BS3998 rule of thumb of not removing more than 30% is just as valid as with any other tree. But when does that ever happen?

 

My suggestion would be that bushing out and risk of killing the trees will be greatly reduced by taking 1/4 or 1/3 rd of the height off this year, another proportion off next year and then in the third year cut it to the final height.

 

As soon as you top Leylandii they bush out then the top remaining branches curve up to give multiple leaders. If you reduce inm stages you can manage the strlong lower laterals better or else you will end up with a hedge 4m high and 8m wide and eventually no garden.

[skyhuck]

IME with Laylandi, its more about what you leave than how much you remove.

 

A 95% reduction is fine, so long as there is sufficient greener left they will be fine, the only future problem you can have is the bigger timber of the stems rotting away, which can eventually lead to the hedge falling apart, but it takes years.

[detritus21]

I've done countless conifer reductions only once managing to kill off a hedge but the reason for that was the clients insistance that the hedge be trimmed hard back when the temperatures were -10. If it had just been topped then I am sure it would have survived. The reason conifer hedges end up so wide is the sides aren't trimmed yearly following reduction.

[Shane]

Just to clarify, I'm not suggesting that a major height reduction (leaving some of the green) kills them, I'm suggesting that under some circumstances it stops upwards growth without killing them, and therefore allows radial spread to continue.

 

The control of the radial spread, as many have said, is still required to stop the garden getting taken over - but if there is a magic formulait could be helpful to know.

 

Any of you University wizzards any thoughts on this? Anyone got Shigo's phone number?

[skyhuck]

Every hedge I've ever reduced has alway headed upwards again.

[daltontrees]

So they're 20-25ft tall and bushy and for some reason the neighbours aren't friendly. I wonder if the trees are a material consideration in the relationship?

 

My thoughts exactly. If I was the neighbour I would certainly have considered a High Hedges notice. Which by the way according to Government guidance can take into account the 'risk of major cutting destroying the hedge' by allowing for say 3 years' phased cutting.

[treeseer]

What's the objective?

 

6' odd a 20-25' hedge does not sound like much.

[niftysteve]

We have reduced leylandii by 60' (yes, sixty foot) many many times and they have survived. They didn't just survive, they flourished.

 

i saw some near me that were (topped) shortened the following year the whole row has gone brown and no re growth