[davepitch]

Got a really nice plot out the back of my house that will probably be about 3m x 4m.  Unfortunately it is covered with about 12 30ft Llelandi (not planted by me) a really nasty weed.

This is obviously going to take a lot of hard work to clear so my question is will they cause problems for me later such as with the type/quality of soil that will affect what I can grow?  I am probably going to build raised bed on top of the existing soil so I reackon this should save me from any potential problems.

Thanks

dave

[WG.]

The soil will most likely be depleted and acidified by the conifers.  If so, copious amounts of manure will be needed.  Also lime but not at the same time.

[richyrich7]

Blimey Dave your gonna have fun    

How you planning on removing the Lleylandii ?

If your doing it your self then I would leave about 4-5' of clean trunk left standing on each one, dig around each one in turn and use strong rope and the other trunks as pulleys/levers. Makes life a lot easier than removing a 6" stub  

As you are planning raised beds I don't think you will need to worry about getting every last root out. Just get some good topsoil into them mixed with manure and you will be well away. if your growing carrots and other roots don't manure that bed the year they are going to be in it.

[crowndale]

Blimey Dave your gonna have fun    

How you planning on removing the Lleylandii ?

If your doing it your self then I would leave about 4-5' of clean trunk left standing on each one, dig around each one in turn and use strong rope and the other trunks as pulleys/levers. Makes life a lot easier than removing a 6" stub  

As you are planning raised beds I don't think you will need to worry about getting every last root out. Just get some good topsoil into them mixed with manure and you will be well away. if your growing carrots and other roots don't manure that bed the year they are going to be in it.

I can vouch for how hard it is to remove roots and no trunk!  Had 4 or 5  30-35 foot high leylandi removed from next to my house, again previous owners not me.  The trunks were ground rather than removed.  I left them be for two to three years (lack of time to do anything) then last year removed (I thought) all the root balls, took me days by myself.  covered it with turf after some extra top soil was thrown on but this year dug it all up to plant veges only to discover another 2 root balls hiding further down.  But its all clear now.  I'd also be wary of trees that high blocking a significant amount of light even with raised beds!

[Aunt Sally]

:shock: I might be easier to move house Dave  

[davepitch]

Ground is covered in all the dead Llelandi "leaves" and will get loads more when chop down trees.  Should I dig these in or try to remove them???

[WG.]

Remove them - this is the main source of acid (see my post above)

[Aunt Sally]

Leylandii are fabulous trees.  They have some massive specimens at Bedgebury Pinetum - 130 feet tall and still growing.

[crowndale]

I personally think leylandi are ugly and just giant weeds, unless grown sensibly in the open and miles away from cities towns and villages.  

When I cleared my leylandi patch there was at least a foot deep of leylandi related rubbish plus the rubbish the family before me had thrown under them, carpet, old chairs, all sorts.  Left huge gaping holes which meant the addition of a lot of topsoil.

[WG.]

Nice as individual trees but horrible as hedges

[Aunt Sally]

Not suitable for captivity  

[Bodger]

In the right place and with the right amount of space, they are fine. We have used them to make a fantastic windbreak for our orchard but they are still a fair way away from anything we expect to grow.

For years now, they have provided safe nesting places for collared doves, blackbirds etc.

They certainly need a lot of planning because as people have said, they grow humassive !

[Esme]

Wish I could persuade OH that they are not a nice hedge for the average garden. Moved into a place with them planted round the edges recently and I said rip 'em out, but he won't hear of it. Luckily I have my own garden where they are not allowed!

[WG.]

I said rip 'em out, but he won't hear of it.

It would be most unfortunate if they developed that rare-but-not-unknown disease of Leylandii.

Some folks say drilling a hole in the trunk, filling it with sodium chlorate & knocking in a cork is a sure cure.

[muntjac]

its great for makin em poorly so is glyphos it turns emk a funny shade of brown