Cost of dealing with Leylandii trees?

Legacy_user

Does anyone have any experience of the cost of dealing with these trees? I have four  bordering my front garden, and they are doing an excellent job of screening a steep sloping bank, but they need attention.

They have not been touched for at least 4 years (since I moved in), as I foolishly did not realise  they were Leylandii & just assumed that they had stopped growing.  :-/ It's only this summer I've realised how wide they've become, because I can see them from a window where they were not noticeable before.

They must be at least 40 feet high, but it is their width which is the main problem as they are starting to stick out too far over the lawn.

Can anyone offer advice on:

1: cost...are we talking hundreds of pounds or even more?

2: How do I make sure I get a tree surgeon ( if that is what I need) who can deal with these trees safely?  

From internet research I've gleaned I'm supposed to choose one that is a member of the Arboriculture Association, but their list of approved people has no-one in my area, South Wales >:( I really don't want to just pick someone from Yellow pages & trust to luck.

vanoonoo

see if anyone you live near or work with can recommend anyone for you - basically you want a tree surgeon that has all the right insurances esp if he is going to cut the trees in stages (you need a different licence to use a chain saw up a tree than you do to use one on the same tree at ground level)

I had a guy cut down two from my back garden and he disposed of them onsite in his chopping uppy shreddy machine and I didn't even have to be there - he just let himself in the back gate one day when I was at work.

it was about £70 I think in 2001

I rang the council in advance to check there were no problems and I also informed the leaseholder of the property and my neighbours - in particular the neighbours into whose garden I would then be able to see.

everyone was absolutely fine about it.

if you can't find osmeone by word of mouth the council should be able to help you. failing that ring your local electricity supplier as they have contractors that clear the trees away from power lines and you may be able to employ one of them.

good luck!

peat

I'd be very surprised if you could get a tree surgeon for £70 these days, I'd say £200-£300 is more realistic.
It may be better in the long term to remove the Leylandii and replace them with some less vigorous species. You say that the trees are about 40 feet, they can grow to 100 feet in some locations so your problem is only going to get worse.

System

Thanks Vanoonoo & Peat for the advice...I didn't think of ringing the council to see if they have aanyone to recommend, I'll do that tomorrow.

As Peat says, it may be better & cheaper in the long term to remove them altogether than have the cost of maintaining them each year, though I know that the area behind them will be an eyesore. Luckily they don't block the sun from my garden, or affect any neighbours.

I suppose the moral of this story is, never be foolish enough to buy a house with large trees without first finding out what they are, how big they will grow & how much it'll cost you to maintain them. :-/

System

You really have to keep on top of Leylandii's. I have about 20 round my front garden and probably more round my back garden. It makes my house lovely and secluded and i like that. But you have to get them cut on a regular basis as once they are taller than you, you have to start thinking twice about growing them any taller/wider.

Mr Judi gets our gardener to cut the trees at least 4 times in the summer season. He chops the tops off obvously, but the sides have to be trimmed too or they get too bushy.

Can i also say, most of the building insurances these days, make a clause in the policy to keep trees within a certain height.

System

Thanks for that Judi. I didn't know about the buildings insurance, so something else I'll have to check up on. I actually quite like the trees and would prefer to keep them if possible as they are nicer to look at than the messy old brambly bank behind.

I've rung my local council this morning who are going to send me a list of "tree people" they approve and use themselves. They told me there are new laws coming in regarding the planting and height of Leylandii, though I don't know if that applies if the trees are not affecting any neighbours.

System

Tark, keep me informed of these new laws will you? I havent heard that, but dont want to fall foul of the law. I am with you on the appearance of trees. Give me my leylandii trees than a wooden fence anyday!!

coolagarry

I had those horrible trees as well in my last house. I used to get the tops lopped off every few years. You don't need a tree surgeon to do that... just anyone who can use a saw or a chainsaw (It used to cost about £40) At first I used to have them nicely trimmed but then found that when the top of the trunk was cut off they looked bad for a short time but then the top branches would grow upwards and take on an acceptable shape. Finally took them out

Sooler

Apparently Leylandii is a hedge.

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/tmbc/tree1.htm#9
"Leylandii is basically not a tree but a hedge and will not be protected. Leylandii will never be covered by a Tree Preservation Order."

Aries

One Christmas I was given a small Leylandii wrapped in Christmas paper from my Grandsons.
I planted this small tree as far away from my House as possable, but after several toppings over the years it got out of hand and became a Monster.
I ended up paying £70 to someone to cut it down and take it away.
That was in 2000 by someone knocking on Doors. :-)

angelavdavis

You can trim leylandii like any hedge. You will need to cut the leading shoots at the top and then trim the width. Don't cut into the dead wood as it will not grow from there, so leave you with big brown dead "gaps".