Trimming Conifers

[BigNick]

My house is surounded by lylandi which are now around 30 feet high. I wish to trim them, but not lose much of the height, just the some of the bulk.

My question is how do i get up to the top with the ladders?

I have thought of attaching a plank horizontally to the top of the ladders and resting it against the conifers. Would this work or is there a better method?

 

[Thermo]

difficult one. Firstly dont do it on your own make sure theres someone else to help you and foot the ladder. When i do them i use the plank across the top method, as wide and long as possible and make sure its going onto a couple of trunks. I also tie it off to prevent it moving too much. Really you should use a tripod ladder to do it, however theyre expensive and not easy to get. The good thing with leylandi is the trunks are very strong and they dont die off from the inside like other trees do, so you can be pretty sure that they will take the weight. Dont take too much bulk out from down below as it wont grow back again. Dont use a power tool up the ladder either, limit it to hand tools. Its not easy and it can be a bit fraught. If in any doubt dont do it!

 

[BigNick]

Thanks Thermo Man.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

The best way is to take a saw 2" above ground level, they are not natural fauna, they block out light and they will undermine your foundations ( "Nice row of trees mate, was there a house here once?" ).
Cut 'em down and get to know ye neighbour

 

[Thermo]

conifers have limited root systems and unless they are very close to the house wont undermine it.

 

[2scoops0406]

Just remember when you trim, that conifers cannot grow new growth from old wood. In other words if you cut it back to bare wood, that's how it will remain.

 

[Dragonrider]

When I moved to where I am now, there was a row of conifers at the end of the garden which backed onto a neighbour's garden. In the past, these had been hacked at and all the green growth had gone from the neighbours side.

When I got around to it, I cut the dead growth off, and all the "sticking out" branches back to the trunk, on their side. Since then, the green on my side, has grown around the trunks and they now have a reasonable amount of green on their side. It'll never be thick and mass away from the trunk, but, given time, and careful trimming, it will cover the bare areas.

Having said that, I also have another conifer hedge where two entire trees have died off, maybe down to neighbours' animals fouling the roots, a good dose of armatillox, whilst still available for garden use, managed to stop the rot, and again, with careful trimming, the conifers on both sides of the dead pair are starting to grow into the dead branches, and filling in the gap now.

 

[Thermo]

depends what conifers they are, however leylandi will not regenerate from the bottom once cut, they only grow upwards.

 

[mrgrumpy]

conifers have limited root systems and unless they are very close to the house wont undermine it.

This is not true! Leylandi can grow to 90ft, and the root system is said to be about 2/3rds of the trees height. So at 90ft the roots will extend out about 60ft. The roots will dig up a 9" deep concrete drive, suck out moisture to the extent of turning a garden into a dry baron landscape, and undermine house foundations to the extent of causing subsidence. The roots can damage drainage systems beyond economic repair. The RHS recommend planting Leylandi at least 90ft from property. I laugh when I drive trough modern estates, and see Leylandi planted a few feet from the house, and try to imagine the damage in years too come.

 

[RobertM]

Leylandii can grow to over 100ft and their roots can certainly do a lot of damage. They don't have much of a root system, about 25% of the height of the tree. When reducing 30ft leylandii, climb the tree, don't mess around with a plank of wood attached to a ladder! At this stage, the trees are now too big for that. If you are not extremely careful you could land up dead! Consider getting a professional in, depending on the amount of work required, you are probably looking at £750 to £1200

 

[mrgrumpy]

Leylandii can grow to over 100ft and their roots can certainly do a lot of damage. They don't have much of a root system, about 25% of the height of the tree. When reducing 30ft leylandii, climb the tree, don't mess around with a plank of wood attached to a ladder! At this stage, the trees are now too big for that. If you are not extremely careful you could land up dead! Consider getting a professional in, depending on the amount of work required, you are probably looking at £750 to £1200

The tallest x Cupressocyparis leylandii in the U.K, is currently 125ft tall and still growing onwards and upwards!

Do you think a 125ft tall tree can manage with 30ft (25%) of roots? I don't think so! root growth depends on soil type and tree variety. As I
said in last post roots can grow 2/3rds height of tree, and I have seen such root system on a leylandii.

£750 to £1200 to trim leylandii, I wish I could charge that much! Where in the U.K are you? sounds like London prices.