Replacement for Leylandii hedge

jen.skrzypczyk

I'm after some help and advice. In the next couple of months we are hoping to fell our leylandii hedge. I was thinking about replacing it with some native trees which will be good for blossom, fruit and wildlife. The trees will be felled and the stumps ground. The advice I've been given so far is to mulch and plant the trees in the new year. 

Any advice or suggestions?

Guernsey Donkey2

Having planted a fair few trees over the years I can pass on a bit of advice regarding the planting.  There may be an issue with remaining tree roots unless the whole area is worked over thoroughly.  By this I mean digging down at least 2 foot, turning the soil and adding at least a half if not all the dug out area with compost, mulch, manure and anything else you can find to enrich the soil as it will have used all it's nutrients giving life to the Leylandii.  Give the hole gallons of water and add growmore too.  Only then would I consider it ready for replanting.  Having said that I would rather plant a tree in early Autumn, say late September to end of October than in the Spring time. Having planted trees both sides of Christmas, we have found the trees planted in Autumn have a higher survival rate than those planted in Spring and you really shouldn't plant anything when the air/ground is frosty. I hope this helps you @jen.skrzypczyk and I am sure others will come up with ideas to guide you.

JennyJ

Don't forget that small plants establish better than large ones, and bare-root plants (to be planted in autumn/winter after they've gone dormant) are often a good bit cheaper than pot-grown ones.  It will take years for the replacements to reach anything like the height of the leylandii. Not saying you shouldn't take them out, just be prepared.