Leylandii - a cautionary tale.

Nice job for a cold January day - removing Leylandii stumps!

At a house I work for a row of trees had been planted about 3ft away from a neighbouring property, going by the tree rings something like 50 years ago. Being what they are they had grown over the height of the house eaves and up to the chimney stack and were some 30ft tall. Two of them in particular were starting to cause trouble with the slates on the roof so they had to come down. Access was also very limited so it had to be done the hard way.

I'd previously copiced them by taking off as many of the top trunks as I could to reduce weight and to make the job a bit safer. Of prime concern was not damaging the neighbour's roof. Leery of going up a ladder with a chain saw on my own this was done with a hand saw, not the easiest of things to use on green wood whilst hanging on with one hand. Next step was to fell the bolls leaving fair size stumps to remove

I tackled the largest of them today by digging a trench round the tree to expose the roots then severering them with a sharp axe, digging underneath the root crown cutting more roots as I went. The beast could then be levered out the ground with a 5 foot heavy steel pinch bar. Sounds easy doesn't it?

Exhibit A






The largest root with the axe and pinch bar.




Finally, job done!



All that remained was to backfill the crater. Thankfully the next stump is a wee bit smaller.

All tolled you can reckon on 8 hours of hard graft to fell and remove one tree. Now you know why I do not recommend anyone to plant Leylandii.
But, plant 'em if you must - it all gives us gardeners work to do later :D

(Admittedly, had access been easier and no property to worry about the job could have been done a bit quicker)

 

Why didn't you use a winch to get em out?

 

Heehee! Those roots weren't shifting for nothing! I know you can rip out smaller trees fairly easily but this one was solid. One option was a hydraulic jack against the wall of the house but I didn't want to make 'em a new doorway :D

[ 11. January 2006, 08:53 PM: Message edited by: frogesque ]

 

Well the longer you take the more you can charge em,lol It's ok been there done that as they say, welcome to the world of the professional gardener.lol

[ 11. January 2006, 08:54 PM: Message edited by: lisa0307 ]

 

I bet you worked up a thirst moving that "baby". Good luck with the others

 

My back aches just reading your post!

 

Well, I certainly slept last night!

The second one came out today without too much bother so the debris has been cleared, the ground leveled and everthing is tidy.

Tomorrow though I'm going to have an easy day, empty the greenhouse and light a sulhpur candle to fumigate it. I might even have a bonfire (but don't tell anyone :D )

 

We have our old bath standing on leylandii stumps. Everything in it is looking rather dead at present but it provides all the culinary herbs I need later in the year.