Thomson Trees Ltd was asked to remove a long and overgrown leylandii conifer hedge just outside Biggar. The hedges’ overall length was 40m and had grown to a height of 5m, with a width of 3.5m. As well as taking up a lot of space in the client’s garden, the shadow cast by the overgrown hedge also meant that the smaller trees and shrubs were unable to get the light they needed to thrive. The decision to remove the hedge was made with the overall improvement of the garden through replanting suitable replacements being the ultimate goal.
The removal of the trees was actually pretty straightforward, with a wire fence being the main obstacle to avoid. Our biggest hurdle by far was getting all the branches out of the client’s garden with as little damage as possible. Fortunately, the ground was hard so we were able to use our mechanical skid steer to remove the bulk of the rubbish. This cut down drastically on the number of trips we needed to do during the course of our time there. Some ground mats were laid down in some softer areas to ensure no damage was done to the lawned area.
The larger stems were cut into length and left on site for the client to make use of. The job was carried out within the time quoted and we were left with another very satisfied customer. We’d also like to thank them for keeping the lads topped up regularly with tea and homemade cake during the course of the job!
The Importance in Regular Trimming of your Leylandii Hedge
The constant maintenance required by this species of conifer hedging is often overlooked, particularly the importance of trimming the sides regularly. Leylandii is not tolerant to heavy pruning, and although tops can be reduced, trimming the sides back beyond the green growth at the tips will result in the branch dying back.
We recommend Leylandii are trimmed at least once per year and to make sure they are cut right back to the previous cuts. Not cutting back hard enough, even just by an inch, will soon build up over the years. This continued growth will result in a wide hedge over time that will be beyond the point of management, with felling being the only option.
Getting into a regular trimming regime, and doing it properly, will result in a compact hedge with clean lines that you can be proud of.