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Neighbour has cut back conifer near house

SturlusonSturluson Posts: 2
in Problem solving

My neighbour has cut back their tall [about 6 metres] conifer which grew some 6 metres from the front of our house (their house is set back a little further). The remaining trunk, plus a few very spindly twiggy branches, is about a couple of metres high, intended, I think, to 'blend in' with a conifer hedge which runs between our properties. They didn't tell me they were going to get this done, but the increase of light to my property is much appreciated!

However, I wondered if the remainder of the tree will now die off and affect the old small wall which runs around the front of my property which produces a raised bed, or will the trunk now produce new pollarded growth (given the close proximity to my house, I am also concerned about heave image if the roots die off).

I expect I worry too muchimage

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,088

    Conifers do not regrow from brown wood so if all the green has gone I'm afraid it's done for.  If there is some green left, trimming some of it will encourage it to thicken but do not cut back into brown leaf or wood.

    I wouldn't worry too much about heave if there are other conifers there growing at hedge height.  They may grow and fill the gap - eventually - unless someone prunes them too.

    You may want to consider planting something to disguise it and then sit back and enjoy the extra light your garden will get.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • SturlusonSturluson Posts: 2

    Cheers, Obelixx, I am reassured; I underestimated the original height by about a metre and a half or so, by the way, (so originally about 7.5m), but I daresay that's immaterial. Thanks for the advice about trimming the green as opposed to completely taking off the remaining twiggy branches. The trunk is covered with mature ivy which partly helps the trunk to blend in with the hedge - I may add some planting, however.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,088

    You'll need to beef up the soil first as conifers exhaust all the nutrients and loads of moisture.   

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • mariemiller_1MhHaDYiZmariemiller_1MhHaDYiZ Posts: 1
    My neighnours have cut the branches off my 15ft conifer trees will they grow back. And what can I fill the spaces with in the mean time as I have a bridge over looking my back garden?
  • LunarSeaLunarSea Posts: 1,922
    Obelixx said:

    Conifers do not regrow from brown wood so if all the green has gone I'm afraid it's done for.  If there is some green left, trimming some of it will encourage it to thicken but do not cut back into brown leaf or wood.

    Whilst most conifers of this size are probably Cupressus x leylandii, for which what @Obelixx says about regrowth is very true, some (like mine) are Thuja spp. which do in fact regrow from brown wood so you may be lucky.
    Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. 

    I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
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