We're they water when they were laying in the yard?

Looks like they got dry.

I wouldn't worry about watering. They are toast. They went with out water to long.

If they were turning brown from the inside out with tips still green they might have a chance but your is in the reverse order which is not a good sign.

How were they planted? Any chance the burlap and twine were removed? I guess at this stage of the game it's irrelevant.

Go after him and get a refund.

Dave

The burlap was not removed while planting.

So there is no chance of reviving them? The stems are still green.

As for those that are still green, how much water should they be given in the first year?

Thanks so much for your help. I'm feeling sick to my stomach. I don't see him refunding for so many trees.

A good rule to follow is when soil is dry 2 inches down it's time to water. A slow drip from the hose overnight is usually adequate.

Looks like a lousy planting job with all those stakes and wire for support. Some of them seem to be leaning and not planted vertical. Burlap at least pulled back and twine removed around the trunk are a must.

Wish I could be more positive about your concerns but what I see in the photos is not encourging.

I'm going to the nursery today (I know where they were bought from) and going to ask about any guarantee they might have for this. It's not even a month since they were bought. At this point I don't trust the landscaper to do anything right.
The trees were laid out in the sun for atleast 4 days if not more. Granted, we had thunderstorms and that was the reason for not planting them right away but he should have made sure they were watered properly.

Also, he said the reason they're not quite vertical is that the ground was very wet when they were planted and it will shift a little. He was supposed to come weekly and straighten them as needed.

Which other trees are quick growing and could be potential replacements for these? I think there are 7 that will need to be replaced.

With as suspect as everything this landscaper has done is, I would go check the trunk of the remaining live trees. Dig down a bit to make sure the burlap isn't near ground level (it may even be still tied to the trunk!). Cut it away from the trunk and down into the ground so there is no chance of it sticking out. Then, as you water, make sure the hose is at a slow trickle right at the trunk of each tree. One of a number of bad things with burlap is that it can actually repel water under certain conditions.

tj

Thanks for the suggestion, TJ. I'll be checking that tonight.

The landscaper showed up yesterday finally and said he's going to put in some root stimulator in all the trees today. I highly doubt that's going to do something for the toasted trees but there's no harm in trying. He says he wants to try this first. And then he starts talking about having no money! Where did the money he made from us, and from taking the trees at a discount wholesale price but charging us full price go?? We're beyond disappointed with this project.

Thanks for all your help, guys. I wish I had found this forum earlier. I'll keep you updated.

"Root stimulator" won't do anything for them. It's a scam.

Resin

"The landscaper showed up yesterday finally and said he's going to put in some root stimulator in all the trees today".

That will definitely put them over the top and finish them off.

"And then he starts talking about having no money"!

If you read between the lines that means there is no money to replace your trees.

If by chance you put the trees on a credit card you can go after him with a protest. If he wants to stay in business he will be glad to refund your money.

Dave

That's one of the saddest looking plantings I've ever seen. How far apart are they, about 6 feet? Leylands get BIG so not only did he neglect the trees while waiting to plant them, but he also sold you about twice as many as you need.

Don't let this contractor talk you into anything but a full refund. Then find somebody that comes with really good recommendations and who will show you some of his previous jobs. This one is inexcusable!

We paid by check. Court order will be the way to go. I don't see him paying anything back but we will take him to court.
They are 6 feet apart on the back and 3 feet apart on the side of the backyard that you can't see from the picture.

Surprisingly, the 3 ft. apart trees are doing a lot better. He advised us to get them planted that way because we wanted a privacy screen. He said we can move them in 2 to 3 years time. We will probably end up having someone else move them to replace the dead ones in the back. Can they be moved safely?

Basically, the worst case scenario has happened. We will go after him even if it costs us a lot of money.

"Can they be moved safely"... No not at this time due to their stressed condition. Move them in the fall when everything has gone dormant.

"We will go after him even if it costs us a lot of money"

Better think about that one when you add up lawyers & court cost fees. I say this because he doesn't have any money. Even if you get a judgment against him he will never pay.

Instead put your time and money into replacing this screen with some good nursery stock having greater value or desirability. I wouldn't purchase anything now. Wait till next spring to purchase freshly dug plants. I say this because that will give you time to decide what you want to plant along with finding a honest, competent nursery/landscape person to deal with.

Pay by credit card because this gives you a lot of leverage if the deal goes bad.

Dave

I'm sorry this has happened to you. Do as those in this forum advise.

I too would suggest that you reconsider the use of Leyland Cypresses exclusively or even at all. They are not a great plant generally, a freak of nature that should not have occurred and they have many faults. Before long you would feel like you are living inside a green canyon, even if you regulate the height and keep them perfectly trimmed. Some time ago some one in this forum, possibly ken_adrian, but I could be wrong, suggested to some one that they not forget the idea of planting for privacy up closer, in essence creating a hidden patio. This could be done with a variety of conifers, providing you with great beauty all year. You could plant others further back or try to salvage some of the Leylands if you can, if you really want to go that route, creating depth and further variety. Go to a good conifer nursery and take it all in. You may discover possibilities that you never knew existed, as a result of this nightmare. I hope things work out for you.

If litigation costs in the US what they are here in the UK and you are not expecting your landscaper to be able to re-imburse you, just thank your lucky stars that the trees have died and you have been saved from all the bother you would be involved with, should the wretched things have lived. Your yard does not look that big and you would have been engulfed by them. They would have sucked out all the moisture from the soil and eventually blocked out the sun from either you or your neighbours. You have had a lucky escape; however disappointing it may seem to you now.

They went too long without water.

That said, they really aren't good for hot summer climates.

It seems like the builders and landscapers here plant NOTHING but Leyland Cypress, and honestly, they don't like our heat here in summer and never look good after about age 10.

Many landscaping companies hire guys that barely know how to IDENTIFY most plants, let alone know a darn thing about planting them right or caring for them.

How did your Leylands turn out ?

Hope you managed to salvage most of them.

You could remove about 75% of those trees anyway and they'll fill in. You could interplant in front with a slower growing desirable species like southern magnolia which is evergreen for privacy and long lived. One or two of them will screen the whole back of the lot. Perhaps some wax myrtle and hollies would be good to add to the mix.

The landscaper definitely did not know what he was doing. Those trees were planted way too close together. Leylands get massive and they would eventually choke each other out.

Very outdated thread but since it has been revived, some clarifications are in order. While the landscapers were definitely bumbling about with the care and storage of the trees after delivery and poor planting techniques, there is really no concern about the spacing. In fact. I'd say the comments about them being too close are coming from those with no experience in planting and maintaining a Leylandii hedge.

" they would eventually choke each other out. "

No, they won't!! Recommended spacing of Leyland cypress for a solid hedge is 3' to 6'. Lived next door to one for 10+ years with a 3' o.c. spacing and the trees did perfectly well and are still doing well in the 8 years or so since I moved.

btw, the continuing slams against Leylands are typically unfounded. Yes, they do not fair well in all parts of the country and they are often grown rather haphazardly by less scrupulous growers/sellers but there is nothing inherently wrong with the tree itself. It does grow fast and it does grow large but can be maintained as a very tidy hedge at any height you want.

gardengal48 No disrespect intended but you are totally wrong. I own a multi-acre tree farm and thus have many years of experience planting Leylands. Just planted several this week. Leylands can get 25 feet wide when well maintained and fully grown. Even poorly maintained ones get 15 feet wide. There is no way that 3' - 6' spacing is sufficient for trees that get that wide. I have personally seen hundreds in my area die slow deaths because they were not properly spaced. Packing them in tight leads to numerous diseases as they rob each other of the nutrients necessary to support their massive size. And it is fact that Leylands are more susceptible to diseases then the average tree. That is not a slam, just fact. Don't be so quick to accuse others of not knowing what they're talking about. Do your homework.