Pruning leylandi trees

loulou41

Any idea how much it will cost to prune 5 leylandi trees? Removing about 24ins from the top. These types of leylandi are bare at the bottom with a few branches at the top. Last time they were pruned many yrs ago you could still the stump at the top very unsightly and this is an ideal for pigeons to rest. I was hoping the branches would cover them but doubt it. Am seeking the advice of a tree surgeon? Husband does not want to spend a lot of money? Thanks

silvercar

Angle the cut on the widest trunks to deter pigeons and so the rain falls off rather than sits on the top to prevent rotting. If you leave the height of the greener branches above that of the trunk tops it should be obscured.

Pruning annually will encourage greenery.

[Deleted User]

I'm not up on costs of Leylandii tree surgery, I would get 3 quotes and take it from there.


A proper tree surgeon will explain how pruning this tree works because cut into a woody part and it won't regenerate (some other coniferous trees do, some don't) and you'll be left with a woody tree with bits of foliage here and there.


If you feel this tree will end up looking like that consider growing something like Clematis 'montana' through it, this will clothe the dead, woody areas.


I'm doing this very thing in my garden.

Davesnave

Most people would advocate 'pruning' them about 10 cm from the ground and growing something else.

I used to send one of my children up to do this job every year or so, but our trees were kept at around 12', so not too difficult. I agree it's easy enough on smaller trees to take out the leading shoot first and prune the others to hide that cut.

sgun

I just had six 7 metre high leylandii completely removed and 12 pruned down to 4 metres (taking 3m off) this came to £580 so I can't imagine pruning two foot off the top of five trees would cost much at all.

Apodemus

Something odd about this... 24 inches of growth, but last pruning was many years ago? ...are you sure it’s a Leylandii?

loulou41

Apodemus wrote: »

Something odd about this... 24 inches of growth, but last pruning was many years ago? ...are you sure it’s a Leylandii?

It is not a leylandi my mistake. It is a type of conifers bald at the bottom with branches at the top. The tree surgeon visited and advised to have them removed completely at a cost of £280 in bucks. To reduce the height by removing 24 ins will cost £170. Price reasonable would rather have them removed but husband against it. He did say once the heights have been reduced they are not going to look nice, will be left with only a few branches hanging out. I have booked him to just reducing the heights.