Cutting down leylandii !

Mike · 30-01-2006, 11:54

Hi all

I need to cut down some leylandii tree but the root go over my neigbours and I do not want to damage there garden when I pull them out (about 60 ft high)

I need to cut the roots thier side but I am not sure the easy why to go about this...............ie chainsaw or dig down and hand saw ?

Any people had this problem before ?

Thanks

Mike

Wicked_and_Crazy · 30-01-2006, 12:00

The way i did it was to cut the tree down to about 5 foot tall, cut all the branches off and then use the remainder of the trunk as a lever, rocking it back and forth to eventually release the roots (not going to work if its a well established tree)

Use a chain saw, a hand saw is very hard work because when you cut the trunk the sap rises really quickly causing the saw blade to bind.

Do you need the stump out? if not cut it off low and the put some stump rot type stuff in the stump to rot it away

Mails Crushed · 30-01-2006, 12:06

Want the stump out? Hire a stump grinder....

http://www.ryetec.co.uk/chippers_2.html

http://www.hss.com/g/62836/Tree_Stum...r__Petrol.html

**Chris** · 30-01-2006, 12:14

Why do you need to remove the roots from under your neighbour's land?

SMHarman · 30-01-2006, 12:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

Hi all

I need to cut down some leylandii tree but the root go over my neigbours and I do not want to damage there garden when I pull them out (about 60 ft high)

I need to cut the roots thier side but I am not sure the easy why to go about this...............ie chainsaw or dig down and hand saw ?

Any people had this problem before ?

Thanks

Mike

You don't as others have said you cut it down to as close to ground level as you can then you stump grind or stump rot the rest away. The roots in the ground will then decompose, this may cause the ground to move but not the same level of disruption as trying to remove the root.

Taf · 30-01-2006, 12:25

BRAVO!! Someone removing Leylandii!!!! MUCH APPLAUSE!!!!

I think your neighbour would be very willing to let you onto their land to remove the roots... just ask... and watch the smiles explode accross their faces!!!

Mike · 30-01-2006, 15:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Why do you need to remove the roots from under your neighbour's land?

I want to cut them so when I pull the tree it does not breakup thier patio (roots go under it )

Mike

SMHarman · 30-01-2006, 16:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

I want to cut them so when I pull the tree it does not breakup thier patio (roots go under it )

Mike

So you leave them there to decompose. If there is no tree / leaf above ground then the tree will die anyway.

30-01-2006, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy

The way i did it was to cut the tree down to about 5 foot tall, cut all the branches off and then use the remainder of the trunk as a lever, rocking it back and forth to eventually release the roots (not going to work if its a well established tree)

Yup, this works very well, but won't handle long horizontal roots very well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy

Use a chain saw, a hand saw is very hard work because when you cut the trunk the sap rises really quickly causing the saw blade to bind.

But take care if using a chain saw to cut root, as it might start throwing up stones etc. An axe works quite well to cut what remains of the roots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy

Do you need the stump out? if not cut it off low and the put some stump rot type stuff in the stump to rot it away

That would be my way - much less like hard work AND you can be reasonably sure that the root system is killed to, so no suckers.

Check carefully for the stump removal chemicals - some merely kill the stump/roots, rather than actually cause them to rot, which means you'll be waiting for Mother Nature to do the hard work. She does it, allright, but in her own time...

Theodoric · 02-02-2006, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScaredWebWarrior

<Snip>
Check carefully for the stump removal chemicals - some merely kill the stump/roots, rather than actually cause them to rot, which means you'll be waiting for Mother Nature to do the hard work. She does it, allright, but in her own time...

Out of interest, what are the stump removal chemicals? I had a large tree come down in the '87 hurricane. I cut it up with a chainsaw, drilled umpteen holes in the stump and filled them with brushwood killer which stopped it sprouting. However, it took 10 years before it had rotted enough for me to remove it.