How to care for your Leylandii Conifer

Do you have a conifer tree in your garden?

Here are a few tips on how to care for your conifer tree.

Leylandii trees are a popular tree to have in your garden. With over 55 million Leylandii trees they are soon to be one for every person in the UK. Leylandii trees can grow well in excess of 150ft, so as you can imagine, our Tree surgeons can see for miles over London when we climb to the top of the beasts!

Although they can be great screens for privacy, and make for good hedging; they also grow reasonably fast, requiring trimming and maintenance almost every year to retain their height and spread. Not maintaining Leylandii can lead to loss of space, poor surrounding ground conditions, lack of light into your home and potential structural damages when left for too long. Besides all these downsides, over 300,000 Leylandii trees are sold every year as when managed properly, they can make for a valuable asset to your homes and open spaces.

Leylandii is the most planted and the most hated hedge in Britain as they are very vigorous and robust trees and can sometimes be chosen as a weapon of choice to annoy unwanted neighbours.

It seems Leylandii make for a great choice when trying to block out the sight of nosey neighbours. As well as blocking our sight, due to the density of the tree, Leylandii also make for great acoustic barriers if you live beside a busy road or highway, as the dense branches, when managed properly, can soak in all unwanted sounds.

How often do I need to trim my Leylandii Hedge?

All hedges should be trimmed once every 12-18 months. It doesn’t take too long, providing you own a good hedge trimmer and its kept to a sensible height. Trimming them more often than that can cause the tree to experience signs of stress as they are not being given time to regenerate growth, thus leading to more problems. In years of drought, some Leylandii hedges are prone to suffering problems. A great rule of thumb in when 3-5inches of new growth is visible – It’s time to trim!

How often do I need to trim my Leylandii Tree?

Depending on where your tree stands and how you want it to look aesthetically, a Leylandii tree can be reduced in height and trimmed once every 2-3 years. Although if its situated in a small garden, where space and light is limited, once you are happy with the height and spread of the tree, many like to trim them every 12-18 months to maintain their shape and shade potential.
Conifer trees can grow up to 3ft a year, and in a matter of years grow to a height where it would be sensible to call a qualified tree surgeon. Improper pruning can lead to lead to brown patches and dieback.

When should I trim my Leylandii Tree?

It is good practice to trim your Leylandii trees in the spring or summer months as this gives it time to regenerate new growth before the winter frost starts to kick in. Mild weather is the best preferred climate to allow for healthy recovery from pruning. Try to avoid trimming late autumn in areas where Cypress aphids are known to be most active. Hedges that are cared for and pruned during the growing season will be more resistant to Cypress aphid damage.

Who’s responsible to maintain the hedge?

It is your responsibility to maintain the hedge if it is on your property. The Anti-social Behaviour Act (2003) allows councils to take action if you allow your hedge to grow to a height where your neighbour's "reasonable enjoyment" of their property is being adversely affected. Additionally, you are also responsible for any damage that may occur if you allow your hedge to become overgrown. Although it is your responsible to maintain your hedge, some neighbours prefer to maintain and trim their side of the hedge. Remember to be fair with the height you keep your trees and hedges, especially if you live in a suburban area where space and light is limited.

Do you have a fruit tree in your garden??..
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