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We have three conifers in the garden that are getting a bit too big, I was planning on having them get a bit lopped off the top and around the sides to trim them back into shape but I've been reading that the tree won't actually grow back well if that it done? Below the outer branches - which will be the ones we're wanting removed - it is just brown with ivy growing inside. So will they stay looking brown and horible if cut right back (at least, until the ivy takes over?
I have NO idea what these conifers are, all I know is that they could do with losing some height off the top and a quite a bit around the girth lol
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Hi Kat,
If you cut back to the brown bits they won't grow back green. All you can do is chop off the ends of the green bits. I know this to my cost when hubby went a bit berserk with ours last year!
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Okay :-( That means they won't get cut back anywhere near as much as I'd like, won't even get them off the steps down into the garden! Maybe I'll see what my OH says about just getting them removed, maybe tempt him with the promise of climbing roses lol
Horrible things. :-D Cut them down & plant native trees, or bushes, that are more useful for wildlife, which grow berries/nuts for them in Winter & flowers for nectar in Summer. :-)
Best wishes
Val.
It's a shame - excellent cover for little birds, especially sparrows. Maybe you could take them up and plant another quick growing one, and keep it trimmed? Mind you, roses look much nicer. LOL
Val - it would certainly make life easier! I'm not a fan of conifers and there are loads in the garden - the hedge at the back is all conifers plus there are fout 10 foot or so tall ones dotted around and several smaller ones! Whoever planned the garden was conifer crazy! lol
Hi
I've taken the tops off my conifirs and in time side shoots grow and fill the top back in.
I trim the side of the trees yearly but with a tree thats aged you can't trim too much off as the branches are too long. The best thing I did with one was to remove it altogether and put a bush in its place.
Ray
a good laugh is better than a tonic
Oh dear! Val and I have a difference of opinion!!!
All I can say is my conifer hedge is a haven for my birds all year round, and I grow honeysuckle inside it.
Susan H said: Oh dear! Val and I have a difference of opinion!!! All I can say is my conifer hedge is a haven for my birds all year round, and I grow honeysuckle inside it.
These are stand alone conifers so the birds don't seem to use them- there is still the conifer hedge at the back that the birds use though and a huge conifer in the garden that back on to ours, though in all honesty I suspect when that house is sold the tree will be coming down as it is far too close to the house. In fact, I wonder if that is why there is so much difficulty in selling that house!
If you want cover for birds you can grow native evergreens, which also produce food in Winter etc.
There are a few on the link below.
http://www.landscaping-and-garden-design.com/landscaping-garden-uk-british-native-trees-woodlands.html
Hi Val, we'd probably go for a couple of Holly as we were thinking of getting a couple of those for the garden :-) But need to see what OH says...