Leyland Cypress hedge

Hope this is the right forum for this post. I'm planning ahead for next year when I will be replacing a 25 year old Leyland Cypress hedge which has just got too big and has died or is dying back in places. In some respects it is a big shame to be removing such an old established hedge which is good in some places but it looks tatty and is too big for me to maintain. The 1st section I'm planning to replace is 60-70 meters long.

My plan is to plant a beech hedge which should be easier to maintain. Ideally I'd like to be able to cut down the old hedge and plant the new hedge between the stumps. I understand that it is not the best way to go about it but I'd like to reduce the workload and the damage to the garden that removal of the stumps would cause. Is it feasable for me to do this?

I have also read that planting smaller beech plants would be better but I'd like to plant 1m high plants to maintain some privacy while the hedge establishes. Is there really much difference between planting small plants and more established plants?

Regards
Will

 

It would be minimal disruption to haver the stumps ground, stump grinders arent particularly large and shouldnt chew the ground up too mutch.

Youll need to dig in pleanty of bone meal and possibly some manure as the soil will have been depleated of nutrients.

The main differance in plant size is cost, overall its reputed smaller plants take quicker although ive never compared but I can understand your rational for using 1m ones.

 

Hi paul, thanks for the reply, I could have the trees pulled out with a tractor which may be what I will do especiall as the guy would take awat the 100 or so trees/plants which would otherwise be a ****** to get rid of. Can you buy bone meal by the tonne? I would think manure would be reasonably easy to get hold of it's just a lot of it to bag .
I was thinking that the new hedge would cover the stumps which I could cut down to ground level quite easily.

Will

 

Drag them out, by farr the best way especially if the guy will get rid. No risk of honey fungus then.

 

I took out a 70m Leylandi hedge. JCB man loaded them up on his trailer and took them away in 2005. Mixed hedge planted a month later with a fence for my neighbours privacy. Each winter we refill holes and 3 years later the hedge is nearly as high as fence but still a few holes. Do it properly and dig them out. Bonfire night will be fantastic. Good luck