To TOP or Not to TOP

treevet · 27th April 2008, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arbdog

I dont want people to think im a hack, I spend hours carefully pruning trees correctly! But we do "top" conifers ( layland cypress ( x Cupressocyparis leylandii)) which people have planted and they have grown too tall or conifer hedges when they have frown too tall and that is the only exeption! Anyway there only scanky conifers and this is the only way to maintain them in a urban area! Wrong trees in the wrong place.

Arbdog, wondered if you could tell me why this a skanky conifer. They are starting to turn up in retail nurseries around here and look kind of nice in a young healthy state. Leyland Cypress

dguntertrees · 27th April 2008, 09:35 PM

Exactly Treevet,

No, I agree with you...

I know, weird eh?

treevet · 27th April 2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dguntertrees

Exactly Treevet,

No, I agree with you...

I know, weird eh?

You picking a fight again, Dave

dguntertrees · 27th April 2008, 09:48 PM

Leyland Cypress are skanky 'cause they are generally planted in the wrong place (i.e. along a boundary fence between houses) and shade out the whole street because they have such dense canopies...they are even "named and shamed" in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act in the UK. There was talk before I left for Oz of giving LG's the authority to enter peoples property and cut their trees to a height of 2-3 metres if they refused to manage them in the way they were intended to be managed i.e. as a hedge. There have been a huge number of court cases re; Leylands, even one shooting when some bloke came back from his hol's to find his precious "hedge" lying in his pool...apparently his neighbour got medieval with a chainsaw!
Do a Google search and you will see what I mean. If Arbdog works in the UK then a lot of his time will be spent creating manageable hedges out of rampant Leylandii. Its painstaking, frustrating work, but once they are manageable, they can look fantastic. Leylands really lend themselves to hedging, and the way they grow ensures that you can even use a plumb line to get that razor edge look. Does'nt last long tho', they grow up to 2 metres a year...often faster if they are hedged. Great for revisit work!

treevet · 27th April 2008, 09:55 PM

How do they handle cold, wet/dry feet? I am getting ready to buy a bunch and a friend of mine caretaker for a huge convent planted 5 about 3 years ago and they look great. Any insect/disease issues. Love the color.

I am going to bed, It is 1 am. Will check in morning. Thanks for any info.

Done it · 28th April 2008, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

Done it

as it's dead now could have been lightening strike and had the head taken off ... see a bit of it around here. The head dies and even falls off and slowly the whole tree can die but sometimes not.

You may be right, I'll check. I hadn't been down that road for a while & it was a shock. There are 3 hills here & each had one, this one in pic is the last.

I was asked to top the other one years ago [owner was police inspector & local club member] and I wouldn't do it unless he got council approval, 2 days later it was done and later totally removed.

Ekka · 29th April 2008, 02:47 AM

That's a bloody Bunya mate, you know it would be a PITA if you couldn't fell the head out whole, and an even bigger PITA to climb with all those prickly bits. Imagine climbing one spikeless and not being able to cut off the branches on the way up?

Frankly, Bunya's suck! How's the nuts they get, flamin 10kg skull crushers, make coconuts look tame.

---------------------

Leylandii Cypress, if you want a 2m to 3m high hedge dont plant a species that wants to grow to 35m like overnight.

Check it out, doesn't do well in USA in some parts Leyland Cypress - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Personally, sounds like a PITA to me, get Thuja's!

treevet · 29th April 2008, 05:25 AM

They re all the rage in nurseries starting last year. Previous shrub arborvitae have a life expectancy of about 3 years so this is what is being touted as replacement. My one nursery just sold 150 and is getting 150 more soon.

Guess growing so quick they can turnover quick in grower to nursery and by time public figures out this a prob quick grower everyone will have cash in pocket. We are planting 5 today, but they can grow to the moon where they are going.
Supposed to be good around roads for salt tolerance and ever used as shields for salt spray on other plants?

dguntertrees · 29th April 2008, 05:26 PM

Yep they were all the rage in UK too...thats the problem.
I think the Thuja is a much nicer tree all round, don't know about salt tolerance tho'.

I know that Leyland foliage dies off if exposed continuously to road de-icing salt though. And it won't grow back.

Possible P+D includes: Armillaria (honey fungus), Heterobasidium annosum (root and butt rot); Coryneum canker (to bark and cambium); Shoot blight, Aphid damage, mined shoots, drought, honeydew and sooty moulds.

I have to say though that they are pretty tough old things. I know a few people back in England who used to do leyland hedging as a specialty and they would create a wooden walkway along the top of the hedge by attaching scaffold planks to the top of the cut stems, they could then walk along the top of the trees trimming the regrowth at about a metre from the top of the stem with their hedge trimmers. Looked fantastic and there was never any discernible damage or associated problems that I saw.

DeeGee

treevet · 29th April 2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dguntertrees

Yep they were all the rage in UK too...thats the problem.
I think the Thuja is a much nicer tree all round, don't know about salt tolerance tho'.

I know that Leyland foliage dies off if exposed continuously to road de-icing salt though. And it won't grow back.

Possible P+D includes: Armillaria (honey fungus), Heterobasidium annosum (root and butt rot); Coryneum canker (to bark and cambium); Shoot blight, Aphid damage, mined shoots, drought, honeydew and sooty moulds.

I have to say though that they are pretty tough old things. I know a few people back in England who used to do leyland hedging as a specialty and they would create a wooden walkway along the top of the hedge by attaching scaffold planks to the top of the cut stems, they could then walk along the top of the trees trimming the regrowth at about a metre from the top of the stem with their hedge trimmers. Looked fantastic and there was never any discernible damage or associated problems that I saw.

DeeGee

Neat story about the scaffolding. I ve heard of stuff like that before with hedges (prob Leylands). We aimed a few LC's up at the sky today and will put another 12 in a row tomorrow. Those I will be able to set my picker right next to so I can beat them back.

Thanks for the info. I think around here they also will get the bagworms. A particular ly nasty little creature that if you don t get it at the right time (and that is elusive) then the little fugger is in the bag and mature and you have to pick them all off.

dguntertrees · 30th April 2008, 01:45 AM

No worries.

Looks like a good spot for them, plenty of space and no hard surfaces around. The roots are pretty invasive too, as you would expect from such a speedy grower.

DEEGEE

Done it · 30th April 2008, 04:52 AM

Worse than palms, I'm forever doing them. Sold here as Leylandi, Castlewellan Gold, grow fast. These were 10 years old.

Best pic is 5.

arbdog · 30th April 2008, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treevet

Arbdog, wondered if you could tell me why this a skanky conifer. They are starting to turn up in retail nurseries around here and look kind of nice in a young healthy state. Leyland Cypress

dg is wright. I am not saying one growing singly on its own in a feild isnt nice. they have normally been abliterated by the home owner or a gippo and do look a eyesore. But anyway I still dont like them so there skanky and i dont like poplar either so there skanky too!

nicholas saale · 30th April 2008, 03:00 PM

I seen five live oak,water oak trees top to day by a person that does no a thing

about trees

Ekka · 30th April 2008, 07:17 PM

2nd time this week the islanders door knocked my street!

dguntertrees · 1st May 2008, 03:26 PM

You probably could've got a good deal there Ekka!
Maybe they could have dropped some leaves in your pool too?!

View Poll Results: To TOP or Not to TOP
For	1	2.86%
Against	34	97.14%
Voters: 35. You may not vote on this poll

27th April 2008, 09:35 PM	#52 (permalink)
dguntertrees Cruisin' Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mudgeeraba, SE Queensland Posts: 94	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP Exactly Treevet, No, I agree with you... I know, weird eh?

27th April 2008, 09:48 PM	#54 (permalink)
dguntertrees Cruisin' Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mudgeeraba, SE Queensland Posts: 94	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP Leyland Cypress are skanky 'cause they are generally planted in the wrong place (i.e. along a boundary fence between houses) and shade out the whole street because they have such dense canopies...they are even "named and shamed" in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act in the UK. There was talk before I left for Oz of giving LG's the authority to enter peoples property and cut their trees to a height of 2-3 metres if they refused to manage them in the way they were intended to be managed i.e. as a hedge. There have been a huge number of court cases re; Leylands, even one shooting when some bloke came back from his hol's to find his precious "hedge" lying in his pool...apparently his neighbour got medieval with a chainsaw! Do a Google search and you will see what I mean. If Arbdog works in the UK then a lot of his time will be spent creating manageable hedges out of rampant Leylandii. Its painstaking, frustrating work, but once they are manageable, they can look fantastic. Leylands really lend themselves to hedging, and the way they grow ensures that you can even use a plumb line to get that razor edge look. Does'nt last long tho', they grow up to 2 metres a year...often faster if they are hedged. Great for revisit work!

27th April 2008, 09:55 PM	#55 (permalink)
treevet Astronaut Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 598	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP How do they handle cold, wet/dry feet? I am getting ready to buy a bunch and a friend of mine caretaker for a huge convent planted 5 about 3 years ago and they look great. Any insect/disease issues. Love the color. I am going to bed, It is 1 am. Will check in morning. Thanks for any info.

29th April 2008, 02:47 AM	#57 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 5,672	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP That's a bloody Bunya mate, you know it would be a PITA if you couldn't fell the head out whole, and an even bigger PITA to climb with all those prickly bits. Imagine climbing one spikeless and not being able to cut off the branches on the way up? Frankly, Bunya's suck! How's the nuts they get, flamin 10kg skull crushers, make coconuts look tame. --------------------- Leylandii Cypress, if you want a 2m to 3m high hedge dont plant a species that wants to grow to 35m like overnight. Check it out, doesn't do well in USA in some parts Leyland Cypress - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Personally, sounds like a PITA to me, get Thuja's! __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

29th April 2008, 05:25 AM	#58 (permalink)
treevet Astronaut Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 598	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP They re all the rage in nurseries starting last year. Previous shrub arborvitae have a life expectancy of about 3 years so this is what is being touted as replacement. My one nursery just sold 150 and is getting 150 more soon. Guess growing so quick they can turnover quick in grower to nursery and by time public figures out this a prob quick grower everyone will have cash in pocket. We are planting 5 today, but they can grow to the moon where they are going. Supposed to be good around roads for salt tolerance and ever used as shields for salt spray on other plants?

29th April 2008, 05:26 PM	#59 (permalink)
dguntertrees Cruisin' Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mudgeeraba, SE Queensland Posts: 94	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP Yep they were all the rage in UK too...thats the problem. I think the Thuja is a much nicer tree all round, don't know about salt tolerance tho'. I know that Leyland foliage dies off if exposed continuously to road de-icing salt though. And it won't grow back. Possible P+D includes: Armillaria (honey fungus), Heterobasidium annosum (root and butt rot); Coryneum canker (to bark and cambium); Shoot blight, Aphid damage, mined shoots, drought, honeydew and sooty moulds. I have to say though that they are pretty tough old things. I know a few people back in England who used to do leyland hedging as a specialty and they would create a wooden walkway along the top of the hedge by attaching scaffold planks to the top of the cut stems, they could then walk along the top of the trees trimming the regrowth at about a metre from the top of the stem with their hedge trimmers. Looked fantastic and there was never any discernible damage or associated problems that I saw. DeeGee

30th April 2008, 01:45 AM	#61 (permalink)
dguntertrees Cruisin' Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mudgeeraba, SE Queensland Posts: 94	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP No worries. Looks like a good spot for them, plenty of space and no hard surfaces around. The roots are pretty invasive too, as you would expect from such a speedy grower. DEEGEE

30th April 2008, 03:00 PM	#64 (permalink)
nicholas saale Newbie Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: louisiana Posts: 1	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP I seen five live oak,water oak trees top to day by a person that does no a thing about trees

30th April 2008, 07:17 PM	#65 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 5,672	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP 2nd time this week the islanders door knocked my street! __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

1st May 2008, 03:26 PM	#66 (permalink)
dguntertrees Cruisin' Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mudgeeraba, SE Queensland Posts: 94	Re: To TOP or Not to TOP You probably could've got a good deal there Ekka! Maybe they could have dropped some leaves in your pool too?!

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