Nicely done! Congratulations on a successful taming of this menace!

When planting the Cryptomeria, make sure any coiled roots from potbound plants are uncoiled and spread out. That's the likely reason why that Leyland above blew down.

Resin

PS here's what you have avoided . . . 36m tall, trunk 1.1m diameter ;-)
{{gwi:405877}}
{{gwi:617479}}

Looks like the one that fell did a number on the fence.

A pickup truck and a chain for stump removal?

Resin is right about the roots

Once you decide on your plants pull one or two from the pots and inspect the roots before you buy. A lot of this stuff for sale has been in the pots way to long and they just don't do well even with pruning and separation. Your best bet is to buy younger plants. They will acclimate quicker and be much healthier because the roots will develop in the ground instead of in a pot.

Of course if you buy B&B that is a whole new ball game and none of this applies.

Good luck.

Dave

How the planting would have worked was as a sheared hedge.

So that's the idylic Leyland hedge I've heard so much about. Leylandii, as in 'laying on the land'.

tj

Yeah, if they were planted properly, and far enough from the property line to allow access all around, you could maintain them as a sheared hedge. I guess you'd also need to top them regularly. But how much time or money would this cost each year?

The top and sides will need to be trimmed up to three times a year in the growing season, keeping the hedge to an inverted wedge shape - or flat-topped A - with the widest point at the base. Otherwise the base of the plants can become bare

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning Leyland cypress

I get a little tired of the seeing perennial posts here condemning Leyland Cypresses. I liken it to an apartment owner who buys a Great Dane, and upon discovering that they made a poor choice, goes on a crusade against Great Danes, making blanket condemnations of them. For the right person, a Great Dane would be a great choice of a dog.

I planted my 46 Cypress 11 years ago. I keep them trimmed to 12-15 feet high and about 6 feet wide. They suit my needs perfectly and I have absolutely no regrets about planting them. Yes, once a year they take a lot of work to trim them, but I knew that before I planted them.

Last week a windstorm came through my area, bringing gusts of over 50 MPH. Driving around the next few days revealed widespread damage: broken limbs and toppled trees. All 46 of my Leyland Cypresses came through unscathed, although I was a bit worried at the height of the storm.

The only pest problem I've had has been a Spittlebug infestation that was easily eliminated with Sevin. I keep them trimmed as described in bboy's link. They are still full and dense down to near ground level.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2275/2338017996_13376f82c4_o.jpg

I use the Cypresses to wall off my backyard from my neighbors. They've exceeded my expectations. I made a great choice.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2147/2152301578_7444d187d6_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2251/2151510919_8d6e6b3865_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2400/2152301098_0f9be312ea_o.jpg

Joe

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:646924}}

I was going to say pretty much the same thing. While they may indeed be overused, and sometimes used in a situation where another plant might have been a better choice, surely this tree is not the acursed thing it is always portrayed as here. Take the photo supplied by resin for example. That looks like a great tree. But not if you didn't want a tree with its' characteristics.

+oM

Perhaps a hundred other similar conifers are more interesting. Even sheared Leyland cypress hedges - about the only suitable use for it in most situations where these are planted and then instead left to overwhelm the space - are unusually generic in appearance.

inspectorjoe, I'd have let you adopt my Great Danes Leyland Cypresses if I'd realized you could care for them :-) Seriously, your hedge looks great, and very effective for privacy. But how many hours per year do you spend on maintaining it?

Suburbanmd:

Thanks for the compliment.

I probably average around 40-45 hours a year on trimming, but I don't do it all in one week. That would kill me!

I start by topping them with a pole pruner, while standing on a tall stepladder. Then I shear the sides as high as I can reach, which is about 8 feet. Then I tape the hedge trimmer to a telescoping pole and shear the rest. The final step is to use the pole pruner to trim up the corners at the top a bit, here and there.

I'll admit that it's not something I look forward to, but once I'm doing it, it's actually enjoyable and rewarding. And when I'm finally done and stand back to look at the finished job, the old Toyota ad comes to mind: "Oh what a feeling!"

Here's a picture from the ladder, looking back on what's already been done:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2098/2338978796_8702450fa7_o.jpg

Joe

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:646925}}

Neat pictures, inspectorjoe! What privacy!

Looks great Joe, I bought a couple Leyland cypresses summer of 2004; they were about 1 1/2' tall, now they are 20', but we have moved so I am going to miss them. I spent 2 summers taking a run down, weed/Himalayan blackberry infested yard that also has a run down fence that was propped up with medal poles and trash thrown on the other side and turned it into a beautiful landscape that is the envy of the neighbors. I have less space but a new palete to start with. It has about 4 15' Rhodies and a couple 20' Blue Spruces that are partially ruined by someone letting ivy grow up it. I've been stripping and pulling off the ivy and some new branches are growing so I have hope that they will eventually look much better then they do now. It's a good thing I love gardening otherwise I'd really hate the fact that there is such a mess to clean up.

"Neat pictures, inspectorjoe! What privacy!"

Thanks Citychicken. There's a reason for it, as you'll discover in the link. :-)

Kendal:

Yours grew from 1 1/2' to 20' in four years? Wow! That's amazing.

Funny you mention ivy. When we bought this house in '96, the backyard was lined with pines and spruces. They were dead and dying, hanging over the pool (and the neighboring yards)and had poison ivy growing up through them. What a mess. I had them all cut down and I pulled all of the poison ivy out by the roots. Compared to what they had to live with before, the neighbors love my Leyland Cypresses.

Joe

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:646926}}

Joe,

They are a pretty tree, so when they put in the new house they don't get torn down; one is up behind a retaining wall I built, the other is next to the fence I put up. I hope they are enjoyed by the new tenants; I know the neighbor on one side hates trees, as a matter of fact she had a beautiful 25 foot cryptomeria radican which she stripped the bark around the tree so it ended up dying. Where we live in order to take down trees they have to be dying, diseased and a threat to the houses around it. What a shame it was so beautiful with its reddish bark and feathery branches. I'm going to buy some to put in here at our new place. I like the fact that they grow 3-5 feet per year so I won't have to wait long for some privacy from our new neighbors.

Anyone know the best nursery in or near Federal Way to get these trees? There are a couple places online, but I'd rather buy from a local nursery, and perhaps get a couple that are 3-4 feet already.

The new owner (tenant?) might be enjoying your Leyland Cypresses now. But unless they're situated so their eventual size, and eventual drooping branches, won't cause any trouble, then your name may be the subject of eventual unfriendly utterances. At least you only planted a couple of them, not 41 like at our house.

Joe--looks great. You've inspired me to do the same. Can you tell me how far apart to plant them, and any other tips to achieve the same look?

Thanks,
Dan

Joe, I love the looks of yours too, unfortunately our neighbor is rebelling against any pruning, and she planted the last one in her row only 4 feet from the property line. Our yards are not big, only 1/3 acre. I have no problems with people who have thought out the outcome of the rapid growth and who think that they have the right to plant wherever they want. That is the only problem that I have. It is ok, she has been told that we will be pruning whatever comes over the property line.