Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption          Downsizer Forum Index -> Land Management TimNeo Getting rid of trees (conifer or leylandii?) I have five trees, I'm guessing they're between 15-30ft high and scraggily with it. They face south at the end of my garden and I'd like rid of them (which I assume may make the neighbours happy as their south facing garden will be suddenly bathed in light.) I will probably need to replace the fence as it's in a poor state of repair. Then I'd like to plant some fruit trees there. My main question is, if I chop them down I understand that they don't regrow from stumps. Therefore if I dig around the stumps and plant the fruit trees there, will there be problems with this? I'll need to improve the soil around them I'm guessing, but will the trees mind a set of rotting leylandii stumps? I may do the tree removal myself, though it's a bit daunting as they're huge. I've asked a tree "specialist" to pop over and give me a quote for removing them. I've not spoken to the neighbours at all on this... I know they can't stick a preservation notice on it as leylandii are not covered. They're not overlooked by me as I'm in a bungalow. The garden is about 30ft wide, I'd like a mixture of fruits. I like victoria plums, braeburn & cooking apples, but I'm open to suggestions... my wife is a keen chutney and jam maker... tahir It'll take yonks for the stumps/roots to rot down, and the soil will be really poor. You need to pull them out if poss and get some extra soil to stick in the holes left before replanting. TimNeo yeah I had a feeling you'd say that... I may employ the efforts of my scout troop. I'm sure I can figure out a badge for it as well as a cheap fish and chip run... Green Man Ive taken a group of about 20 Leylandi down about four years ago , and was left with lovely dark humus rich soil so replanted with silver birch. Weeds grew up like billy for the first couple of years but have slowed right down now and the birch are about 10ft tall. The stumps were left and are beginning to rot away now. If I'd wanted it tidy, I would have hired a stump grinder to take them down to soil level. TimNeo I might consider a single silver birch purely so I can tap the sap in a few years... Treacodactyl I would be tempted to dig out the main part of the stump. Get the tops cut off, leave 6 foot or so of trunk to enable you to 'rock' the stump as you dig around it and chop through the roots. Be careful as they can suddenly snap a root and topple over, professional help might be useful. Bodger As tree roots go, leylandi don't put that much of a root system down. gz Silver Birch will seed everywhere Just like Sycamore... Speak to Hairyloon on this? dpack i would go for stump removal before planting fruit trees cut em a few feet up and winch the stumps out using the last ones as an anchor add plenty of good soil ps the timber is light ,strong ,springy and flammable but it is a bit soft and tastes nasty judith What TD and Bodger said. The hardest part is chopping the tree down to a manageable height safely. The roots can usually be wiggled out if you are determined enough! The soil will then need masses and masses of organic matter digging in - it will be horribly depleted. dpack normal felling cuts are very predictable with leylandii,they dont shatter or twist much chainsaw and winch T.G Re: Getting rid of trees (conifer or leylandii?) I've not spoken to the neighbours at all on this... I know they can't stick a preservation notice on it as leylandii are not covered. Don't be so sure. That's exactly what my OH's boss thought, to his cost, bought a lovely big old house on the outskirts of town, brought down a few trees came outside a few days later to have a man with clipboard very cross to deal with. The rest of the leylandii have little metal identification labels on them now, with a number which is logged, just in case anymore should be brought down
dpack	phone the local tree folk to check is easy
Hairyloon	Speak to Hairyloon on this?

Did somebody call?

Think you've all beaten me to it though.
The soil under them will be very poor: acidic and nutrient depleted. Easy enough dealt with though: dig in some good stuff.
If there is enough space between them to do that, then I can't really see the stumps being a big problem, but they do take a while to rot.

I'm guessing that it used to be a hedge so they're quite close though.
Stump grinders are horrible, noisy things, so I'd go with the winch idea, and perhaps a gentle application of a mattock... that or dynamite.

If you weren't so far away, I'd drop by and lend a hand, but last I heard, Southern tree surgeons were so dear I could probably make the trip down and still undercut them.

Have fun and be safe. dpack

if a tree gets the dynamite treatment from below it tends to shed branches as the middle rises ,bit messy in a garden Hairyloon

if a tree gets the dynamite treatment from below it tends to shed branches as the middle rises ,bit messy in a garden
I think it is usual to reduce it to a stump before the application of dynamite. dpack

quicker and more fun to poke and fire onemanband

Another option once tops are removed is to get in a digger. Cost about same(maybe a bit more) as a stump grinder but will be able to extract all of roots and old fence concrete. Leave about 4 foot of trunk so digger will get some leverage. Probably need at least a one and a half ton machine.
If thats not practical or too expensive and you opt for hand dig then ....
... don't mess about, start off digging a 2 foot square 2 foot deep hole down side of first stump. Use this hole to remove soil that you loosen. Take a sharp trenching spade (not a wooden handle garden spade) and tunnel under and around roots. The further from stump you go the smaller roots will be and easier to cut. Once you've dug all round stump exposing roots hack thru them with an axe or mattock. If you use a chainsaw, axe outer layer of root off otherwise you'll knacker chain in the dirt (but will still knacker chain anyway). Once upper roots cut you should be able to twist and rock stump until tap roots break. Once first stump out extend hole to next stump.
Will take 2-4 hours per stump and be hard work. The bigger you dig your hole the easier it will be.
Good luck loulou

We took out our lleylandi hedge earlier this year we saw the trees down to about 4' dug around the stump and wiggled the stump to get to the tap roots then cut the tap roots so the main bulk was out, it sounds easy written down like that but it was hard work if you do it yourself make sure you have a day off work the next day We told our neighbours we were taking the trees out and they were very happy for us to do so after 20 years of darkness. onemanband

Day off to recover ? !!
Some of us do this stuff for a living !
But your're quite right - it's hard work even with proper digging tools.
Suggested tools :
All metal drainage spade (long and thin)
Mattock
Felling axe
MUTT(multy use tough tool) / floor scraper - 4inch flat end with long handle - ideal for chopping smaller roots and breaking up soil
Fencing 'spoons' ideal for emptying holes - will save your back but hurt your shoulders
Big bar or similar levering device
Kettle, mug, tea bags etc dpack

TimNeo

Thanks for all the tips guys... where do I source the dynamite from???

Next door neighbour has volunteered his sons to come take them down with a chainsaw and remove the roots for me so he can have the wood to burn.

Of this I do not have a problem.

I'm going to arrange a day and of course I'll be doing as much work as I can alongside them with the wife supplying tea and lunch!

For the soil improver, can I just dig in (and excuse the pun) a crapload of rotted manure in there? I assume that'll be better for them than just new topsoil and a bit cheaper too...

Hoping to get some trees from Lidl next week when they're on offer so I'll just stick them in pot for the time being until the main trees are down. tahir

For the soil improver, can I just dig in (and excuse the pun) a crapload of rotted manure in there? I assume that'll be better for them than just new topsoil and a bit cheaper too...

I guess. I hate working with manure though, smelly and claggy unless it's really rotted down and surprising how much baler twine was in the last load I had. I like mushroom compost or green waste

http://www.mushroom-farm.co.uk/
www.treefella.co.uk (go for the finest grade as it'll have the least amount of plastic in it)

Neither is too far from you

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Land Management
Page 1 of 1

Home Home Home Home Home