[egbert]

We have a row of leylandii which are huge things now - probably about 15 m high. I am debating whether to just reduce them to a reasonable height or take them out alltogether, since thats a big patch of garden I could use (for a greenhouse, but sssh, dont tell the OH). 

Any good hints/tips of how best to get them down, or out. I have looked at hiring some help but a tree surgeon is so expensive for the number of trees we have. Was thinking I could just tie so rope and jank them down into our field . . . ? 

[bloomer]

how far from anything you dont want damaging are they?

what are you going to do with all the waste?

how many are there?

I remove such things for a living, getting them downs the easy bit, getting rid of the rubbish is the expensive bit...

[Frieslandfilly]

On the whole conifers dont have very deep roots, but however you do it leave enough trunk to use as leverage to get them out of the ground, dont cut them right down and then try to get the stump out. And when you have finished we have few to come down as well LOL

[robert waddell]

if you are wanting to take them out and have the space to work it is better to dig them out with a JCB dig round the roots the push them over that way you control the direction they fall   the tree surgeon will fell them and leave the stumps meaning you still have to dig the roots out or get a stump grinder  if you go the JCB route use either a 3CX or a tracked excavator over seven and a half ton           have fun

[RUSTYME]

use either a 3CX or a tracked excavator over seven and a half ton

failing that , mix a sh*t load of fertilizer with some diesel , pack in tight under the trees , light the blue touch paper and run like f*ck .....

Just cut them down and pull out the stumps , or burn all the rubbish on top of the stumps .That takes most of the stump away . You can pull out stumps with a tractor , 4x4 or even a hand winch attached to something solid ie another tree !!! , just chop through the biggy roots with an axe . Just a bit of work on a cold day , gets the bloody pumping . It all depends on how much work you want to put into the job really .
Funny how everyone goes at the same job a different way !!
I just use a bow saw , and if needed , a few chains and some rope ,  a winch  , an axe or two and a 6' pinch bar is handy at times too.
 
( oh and the ied was only in jest , don't really try it !!! )

cheers

Russ

[robert waddell]

rustyme i like your thinking       yes different people have different ideas  i once had the missfortune to work with tweedle dee and tweedle dum at kinnell hill climb course  now these beech trees were huge at least 5ft across i offered to dig the roots out and push them over (that way the tap root comes out no these pair of donkeys wanted to fell the trees and watch them fall to the ground once that happened right driver dig the roots FBAH
45ft high trees will have a fair thickness of trunk

[RUSTYME]

  I chopped a couple of 80/90 footers down the other day  (Norwegian Spruce ), 18" diameter trunks . Did that with a 24" bow saw , it took a while , but the 30" bow saw blade was buggered .
 Never blown a tree up before , but I did try it with a huge rock . It was about 6' x 5'x 4' massive bugger . Packed in said mix under rock, lit blue touch paper , 3 minute burn , and got the feck away !! Watching from about 500 yards away , there was this humongous  explosion and this massive Hiroshima like mushroom cloud , that went about 400' into the air !!! OOOOPS    I thought ... " s**t ... I bet that made everyone jump !!!" .. I couldn't work out how I could deny knowledge of what the bang was , with this mushroom cloud sitting over the land  !!! Anyway ,
 no body appeared ( I thought they were either all dead or hiding under the table !!!  ) , so I went over to have a look at the rock !!!!
 Well I stared down into this huge crater ... all I can remember thinking was " Bollox ... I have got to fill this bugger in  !!" . No rock though ...nothing ... zilch ... zippo ... gone completely .. job done !!
Where there's a will there's a way !!! (and where there's me , there could be the need for a will !! ) 

cheers

Russ
 

[robate55]

My husband & I removed about 27 of that size this year as it was too expensive to get professional help. He threw a rope up the tree which we attached to the landrover. He cut with the chain saw while I put pressure on the rope so they did not hit the side of the house. He then chopped them up cut the dug round the stumps, chain sawed them down low & covered over the roots left. As you can see the house was quite close & we (mainly he) managed well. We do now have stacks of wood left

[egbert]

I think that could be the way forward - I will have to borrow a landrover though -  Not sure my MG is up to the job!

We have about 10 in a row to either shorten or remove altogether - they can be pulled into the field. Then 90 degrees to those another 8 that need halving at least, but they will be more troublesome as the heat pump is on one side and piles of building material on the other . . . Then on the back of the house another row, possible 20, that need halving but they can be pulled into the field . . . 

We will keep the wood for the fire, and I guess put the rest of the rubbish in a big pile to rot down or burn. We need to make a decision on the ones that could come out soon, as the OH is planning on putting his solar panels between them and the field . . . 

Best start talking greenhouses with him 

[bloomer]

where abouts are you?

[robate55]

A few branches fell on top of the Landie so I think not the MG. The Landie is 45 years old so already a bit battered, wouldn't like to do it in a new one
Rose

[Greenerlife]

Am liking the dynamite soution!

have about 40 to take out here as well (they got that weird bug infestation and died, but strangely enough, some have recovered).  Thinking of putting a fence in with mixed hedge - do you think that would be possible?  Any ideas about what I should do with the earth? 

[shetlandpaul]

get one of the trimming things on a pole. cut the larger branches off and the the central branch as high as you can.then cut it down at 4 or 5 foot and leave them for a year or two. then dig them out. cut the smaller branches off and use the poles for something. and either rent a chipper or compost it down. takes a few years but you do get compost.

[egbert]

We are East Midlands, Lichfield just NE of Birmingham.

[bloomer]

well if you need a hand getting them down or topping some out i'm more than happy to offer a hand assuming it fits round work.

only down in nuneaton.

the ones you want to reduce by 50% will probably be more hassle than the complete clearance ones.