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Post by blackrose on Feb 17, 2007 9:05:29 GMT
I have started planting some Leylandii along my fence, I have been told different things, I have set them at about 2-3ft apart but some say to put them closer, some say further apart and others say 2-3ft is fine. I know these can grow to 20m x 5m so I would have thought 2-3ft apart would be fine and provide good cover and shelter when mature.
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Post by oldmoleskins on Feb 17, 2007 9:13:53 GMT
Wotcha CB... you don't say what height you intend 'stopping ' these, and it may seem premature when you've only just planted them, but the distance between is fine for say 6 to 8 feet height - you weren't thinking of letting them go to 20m were you?
OM.
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Post by blackrose on Feb 17, 2007 9:27:29 GMT
Holy smokes no, to the top of the fence at 6ft was the intended height. So I should be ok at 2-3ft apart?? Maybe won't need as much as I thought. It should only take a couple of years to reach that height, could have birds nesting in about 5 years.
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Post by andy on Feb 17, 2007 9:44:23 GMT
2-3' is spot on for that height CB.
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Post by oldmoleskins on Feb 17, 2007 9:47:31 GMT
well, 2' will 'fill' quicker, 3' will fill eventually... conventionally, you let them grow about 9" past your ideal finish height, then cut the leader shoot back down to that finished height.
At 6'9" you will still have quite "xmas tree" shaped plants, and what you're asking then to do is become rectangles to make a solid screen.
The closer you plant them now, the less work the top section has to do to fill in the gaps...
OM
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2007 10:17:07 GMT
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Post by blackrose on Feb 17, 2007 10:18:53 GMT
Cheers OM that's the eventual plan, to have it as a rectangle shape to create a screen along the fence and create plenty of cover for small birds to nest in.
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Post by andy on Feb 17, 2007 10:19:48 GMT
sorry...misread post
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Post by JennyWrenn on Feb 17, 2007 19:48:08 GMT
I posted this Thread a while ago and it seemed that most thought 2feet apart is fine - they can be pruned dont forget - I want to get a dense hedge effect and height 8 feet
jenny
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Post by Mr Grinch on Feb 18, 2007 19:10:33 GMT
Ye gods christiebhoy get rid of them ! They are awful bullies,rob your soil, cut out the light (and your neighbours) and are sooooo boring. Surely there are other plants that would do the same job ?? Mr G
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2007 19:21:39 GMT
To be honest CB - I think your garden is too small for Leylandii
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Post by blackrose on Feb 18, 2007 20:08:15 GMT
Too small Rita? my garden is big enough to hold another house, the photos are deceiving, I only plan to hedge off a section of the fence and leave the top section open. It will be kept in trim condition at about 6ft, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.
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Post by JennyWrenn on Feb 18, 2007 20:18:05 GMT
I want to hide from my neighbours and they want to hid from me too ;D I did check with them first and they are really happy about this and hope they grow to a great height - they have a hot tub behind my fence My garden is really big and I planted them to hide the ugly fence - had thought about Laurel but too slow - I am in a hurry to create density and privacy - i will take a piccy of them 2moro and post it on the Board j w x
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Post by blackrose on Feb 18, 2007 21:04:31 GMT
Jenny you'll certainly get the speed and cover with Leylandii. Mine is to give us privacy from neighbours too, always bothered about what we are up to and complaining when we have BBQ's in summer.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2007 21:17:34 GMT
Too small Rita? my garden is big enough to hold another house, the photos are deceiving, I only plan to hedge off a section of the fence and leave the top section open. It will be kept in trim condition at about 6ft, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. What size is your garden CB? in the gallery you refer to it as your "wee garden" How about some of these CB www.crocus.co.uk/search/pl/?q=ceanothus they are evergreen too
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Post by blackrose on Feb 18, 2007 21:33:06 GMT
Wee Garden, thats just an expression I use, you could actually build another house in it though they may be a bit close together.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2007 21:39:52 GMT
Hi CB, two of my neighbours have planted Leylandii...one has popped around her garden perimeter and planted these 2ft apart after three years she has topped them at 6ft approx....they have now filled between the spaces and are giving her excellent privacy as a hedge. The garden seems to be about the same size as yours in the pics. My other neighour planted a small hedge just to divide the drive from the garden area at the side of the house he planted 18" apart and is now struggling to keep them in check for some reason, the hedge has thickened and he has topped at 5ft. I had inherited leyandii at my last house and sadly they had been neglected for four years due to the house being empty....they were about 50ft heigh and very bushy. I lopped off a good 20ft from the top and still had very high fence. I then spent a couple of seasons cutting back at the sides. It made an ok hedge but never looked as good as it had been allowed to run riot. There is an established hedge of this type on the road into Dingwall and the owner has kept this in pristine condition and cuts twice a year ie lops off the height and keeps the sides trim...it looks very smart and dense. My only grumble with them is that i found they harbour the midges and you can't grow anything below them as the soil is poor and very acid with all those needles in them. The birdies like them though and i had loads of birds nesting in them.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2007 7:20:42 GMT
I agree with Mr Grinch. I had to remove two of these thugs. One that had destroyed one corner of the patio (took me a day to dig out the main rootball) and one when we built a retaining wall to separate mine and the neighbour's gardens (nice Mr Deck man with a chainsaw helped with this one). Now that they've gone I realise that they did at least provide some protection from the wind, but they also cast really long shadows over my half of the garden effectively reducing my growing space by about 50%. The roots on these things are just monsterous and go for miles. I've learned never knowingly plant something so intrusive ever ! There is an absolutely huge one in the garden over the hedge which has been allowed to run riot. If it ever came down, I just hope it falls in the opposite direction taking the school rather than us with it.
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Post by blackrose on Feb 19, 2007 8:12:15 GMT
I know these things can be monstrous if left un checked but I do intend to keep these at 6ft and in a tidy shape.
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Feb 19, 2007 10:49:10 GMT
Sorry CB but I too think these are garden thugs. Even though you intend to keep them trimmed this will not stop the root system from developing . You've put some beautiful shrubs in your garden and have a nice green lawn. Surely you don't want them to have to compete with mighty conifers?! There are hundreds of other options for hedging which is much more attractive and beneficial to wildlife! Have a think! S
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2007 18:21:25 GMT
if you're insisting on them, how about a root bag thingy to stop the monsters spreading. you can just see the thickest root just sticking out from under the corner where it was sawn, which was about 4" diameter. the whole concrete/brick corner of the patio had collapsed because of it. the big lump on the left was the rootball. these were minor roots that i found when i was digging over this bed after the deck had been built. my thugs were less than 6' tall, so just think you should know what you're getting into ! ;D
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Post by blackrose on Feb 19, 2007 20:51:52 GMT
Awww your scaring me now but they're in now and staying for the time being anyway, I've no where else to put them now that I have bought them.
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Feb 19, 2007 20:56:24 GMT
Run while you still can........................GET RID OF THEM...........you'll sooooooo regret it in the future.
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Post by JennyWrenn on Feb 19, 2007 21:17:38 GMT
Ooo er I am scared too CBH - I never gave a thought to the root system - two have been planted close to house Here is a photo of how they look right now - I planted them around November. They are to cover the ugly fence which am sure you will agree is exceedingly UGLY They are planted in a bed sectioned off with wood and in front the ground in a very large patio area which is the dog's exercise area I think I planted around 14 in total Will the roots start lifting up the paving slabs
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2007 21:18:22 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2007 21:32:58 GMT
Now I'm really not trying to frighten you (by showing you the OH), but look at the crack in the nearest brick wall, the uneven slabs and the missing bricks in the wall beside the g/h. That was all caused by a 5' lleylandi! The whole corner was dropping away. and to answer your question jenny, in time, yes the roots will lift and wreck the slabs.
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Feb 19, 2007 21:35:16 GMT
Ooo er I am scared too CBH - I never gave a thought to the root system - two have been planted close to house Here is a photo of how they look right now - I planted them around November. They are to cover the ugly fence which am sure you will agree is exceedingly UGLY They are planted in a bed sectioned off with wood and in front the ground in a very large patio area which is the dog's exercise area I think I planted around 14 in total Will the roots start lifting up the paving slabs Oh Jenny, I feel awful about my comments now . These are potentially a 120ft tree . It makes no difference how much you prune them, their roots will still grow! Sorry S x
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Post by roxann57 on Feb 19, 2007 21:35:44 GMT
There are so many alternatives to Leylandii. If you want privacy, its going to take 2 - 3 years regardless of what you plant. Hedging plants can give a lot more variety of colour and attract lots of birds and insects too. www.buckingham-nurseries.co.uk/acatalog/guide-hg-i.html
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Feb 19, 2007 21:37:32 GMT
I'll sing to that Roxann
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2007 21:38:30 GMT
and if you look at the back of my picture over the hedge behind the flags, THAT is a 120' lleylandi that has been allowed to grow out of control. God help the neighbours garage.
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