Looks like Gunii. I'd be inclined to get advice from an arborist as to their suitability for your garden. There are a lot of other evergreen trees that could give you the required privacy. Sorry for sounding so pessimistic but I know to my cost how bad these trees are and how quickly they can get out of control.
My neighbour has an 80 foot one, fortunately not too near my garden. I hate it and would love to see it chopped to about 10 foot so the attractive new foliage was actually visible without using binoculars!
As I already said sunsetinrio, you can control shape and form through coppicing
If there are two stems, cut one this year and the other next so you always have some foliage. It will most likely throw up a lot of new stems from the cut edge once it starts it's growth cycle again to compensate and also remember that as it ages it will get considerably thicker in the stem. I'll try to post some growth pictures of mine so you have an idea
I cut mine in early spring and it actively grows through summer autumn and winter.
I have planted a eucalyptus this year and its growing fairly quickly. I like its shrubby shape at the moment and want to keep it small. I see you're advising to coppice it in order to keep control (it does have several trunks) so does this mean simply to chop down to the ground one trunk on alternate years?
as I planted this year can I leave it this year and then cut one down early spring next year?
It really depends on the type of Eucalyptus but assuming it's the dreaded Gunnii, you can certainly cut it all back or do half and half alternate years. Obviously cut randomly to achieve a pleasing aesthetic.
The thing to remember with coppicing is that the tree's rejuvenation requires a period of loss, the idea being to force new growth and is ideal for Gunnii given that it grows very fast, but you will be creating a gap in you border for some part of the growing season.
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Looks like Gunii. I'd be inclined to get advice from an arborist as to their suitability for your garden. There are a lot of other evergreen trees that could give you the required privacy. Sorry for sounding so pessimistic but I know to my cost how bad these trees are and how quickly they can get out of control.
My neighbour has an 80 foot one, fortunately not too near my garden. I hate it and would love to see it chopped to about 10 foot so the attractive new foliage was actually visible without using binoculars!
As I already said sunsetinrio, you can control shape and form through coppicing
If there are two stems, cut one this year and the other next so you always have some foliage. It will most likely throw up a lot of new stems from the cut edge once it starts it's growth cycle again to compensate and also remember that as it ages it will get considerably thicker in the stem. I'll try to post some growth pictures of mine so you have an idea
I cut mine in early spring and it actively grows through summer autumn and winter.
Just two years growth
Wow that looks amazing. Really dense and attractive!
Thanks for the advice. As its not a great time to coppice I'll wait till the right time and get these under control before they get wild.
Hi,
I have planted a eucalyptus this year and its growing fairly quickly. I like its shrubby shape at the moment and want to keep it small. I see you're advising to coppice it in order to keep control (it does have several trunks) so does this mean simply to chop down to the ground one trunk on alternate years?
as I planted this year can I leave it this year and then cut one down early spring next year?
It really depends on the type of Eucalyptus but assuming it's the dreaded Gunnii, you can certainly cut it all back or do half and half alternate years. Obviously cut randomly to achieve a pleasing aesthetic.
The thing to remember with coppicing is that the tree's rejuvenation requires a period of loss, the idea being to force new growth and is ideal for Gunnii given that it grows very fast, but you will be creating a gap in you border for some part of the growing season.
Oh yes, leave it this year, do it end of winter or early spring next year
What would happen if I coppice right now?
I will likely leave mine till end of next Winter.