1. Depends on how quickly you want them to form a solid screen. The closer the spacing, the quicker the gaps will fill. Some people advise 50cm spacing, others advise a metre, yet others say a metre and a half, or two metres.
2. Big enough to accomodate the root system, once any coiled roots at the bottom of the pot have been disentangled and straightened out. Note that coiled roots left in place may result in the trees falling over after a few years (the coil acts as a 'hinge').
3. Support only for the first few months until the roots get established in the soil.
4. Mulch, yes; fertiliser, no.

Having answered the queries . . . personally, the only place I'd plant Leyland Cypresses is the middle of the local landfill. Ugly things that are very susceptible to disease in some areas, and where they don't get diseased, rapidly get far too large for all but the largest gardens (they can get to 35m tall). And sterile for wildlife.

Resin

Let's add questions and then answer as we go along, sound right?

The hole whould be at least 2 to 3 times the current diameter of the rootball.

Do you wish for a staggered or straight row of these?
Answer: The distance between holes stays the same. This distance for Cupressus leylandi for you, should not be 2 or 3 feet apart but rather, 7' apart would give the appearance of beautiful trees making the screen. Otherwise, the appearance of your screen will not have a full 'look.' Words cannot explain for you what this assumes.

Another question: How large (price) are the trees you wish to start your project with? I ask because little guys will not only need: staking for a few years (1-2' starts) they also will need more water.

As per fertilization: give them a little fertilizer the first couple years. You certainly don't have to, but it won't hurt. Just don't overdue it. Keep the amounts low. Use any type of fertilizer. The lables on the bags and boxes are written for marketing primarily. Your fertilizer should have low numbers on the label. Keep all three numbers under (10-10-10). Lastly, do not fertilize after August first. Products such as 'Osmocote' have a time-released capsule. A "one time" application of this fertiler when you plant is perfect for this spring and for next. Non time-release fertilizers may need additional applications, hence reading the label is extremely important. The label is there to protect not only your plant but also yourself!

Use mulch. That's correct.

Spacing for the fence: It's better to error on the caution side than not and will keep a happy relationship between you and your neighbor (or ask the person before you plant). A LEYLAND CYPRESS (Cupressus leylandii) will grow much wider than 7 feet. Use this during your consideration. My suggestion, space the holes from whomever's fence it is at least 10 feet away. Again, consider your neighbor in the whole equation.

I think that answers it all.

Take care,

Dax

Quoted from above:
"Having answered the queries . . . personally, the only place I'd plant Leyland Cypresses is the middle of the local landfill. Ugly things that are very susceptible to disease in some areas, and where they don't get diseased, rapidly get far too large for all but the largest gardens (they can get to 35m tall). And sterile for wildlife."

Wrong! The deer will eat them, thus sustaining wildlife!

Dax

(It's apparent Resin was merely suggesting to fence them in well!)

GQQD LUCk city girl!

Dax

Plant them in holes at least 6 feet deep and turn the tree upside down, jam down into the hole!

Sorry, just my opinion!

--Spruce

The crossbills are a neat group of birds with an exceptional ability to pluck seed out of cones.
In the case of Leyland Cypress no cone is produced so the idea of sterile for wildlife is accurate.
If DAX doesn't agree with this perhaps he might favor us with a pic of a Leyland Cypress cone.
Sam

Hi Sam,

Leyland Cypress does produce cones, but the seeds in them are sterile (hollow, empty), so of no food value to birds.

Resin

Resin:

The last time someone asked about the proper spacing for planting Leylands, you said "at least 1,500 miles."

--Spruce

Yeah, that's about right! . . . vertically downward, of course ;-)

Resin

PS just so everyone knows what they look like:
Tree:
{{gwi:239803}}

Trunk:
{{gwi:239804}}

resin those look great! I hope mine look as good. I planted 40 last fall. 38 in a row about 6 or 7 feet apart. I think they are still alive but they have been a little brownish looking on the lower half for awhile now. They are about 2-3 ft high. A couple have leaned over so I need to do some staking. I'm open to all suggestions. I've got quite a few bird feeders out so I'm not worried about the sterile thing. :)

OK.....I was planning on buying a large quantity of these trees because of their rate of growth. Someone tell me the real scoop on these trees. We are retiring to Whitesburg area and have about 7 acres with very few trees and I want to screen off the houses in front of us. I had planned to buy 6' trees. Could you also tell me what the real planting zone is. I think it is 6b

I love big trees so love Leylands. A double Castlewellan in the back is going bonkers with gorgeous fast growth and curly golden green tips. Wowser! Also have an Emerald Isle (supposed to be smaller and slower), a couple Naylor Blue (also supposed to be smaller and slower) and a Silver Dust which is stunning with creamy tips and streaks. Need more of those. Leylands can be pruned carefully to assume Christmas-tree shape. Yes, one will quickly need a crane to keep at it.

Hope in a few years I don't join the group of y'all who disparage Leylands. There's a Castlewellan on campus that's massive and breathtakingly beautiful.

For a fast-growing hardy non-fussy spectacular evergreen that can handle the summer sun with some watering, how can you beat a Leyland?

As noted the deer eat them like deer candy. I have two three year old 4 ft (or they were) Leylands that look like ground cover - thanks to deer. How can one stop the deer foraging? I have tried most things but chicken wire is probably the only way - and that defeats the objective of an attractive tree to start with. I just bought and deployed Cyote urine at great expense but I had four deer in my property today.......

Try Plantskydd. Totally REAKS...but it works.

As they are not winter-hardy in my area, I will likely never plant a Leyland. But aside from the disease aspect, I can't for the life of me understand the inordinate hatred these inspire, even from known big tree-lovers.

I suppose they've been over-planted in some areas, whatever that means. I love Norway spruce, for example, and I don't think any degree of ubiquity would lessen my appreciation for them.

As far as value to wild critters, they certainly appear to be capable of providing shelter and nesting habitiat.

Scratching my head. I just don't get it. ;^?

+oM

The hate comes from some folks comparing apples and oranges. One repondent on conifers lives in the UK where Leylands are a giant weed - hence the negatives. In the US the Leyland appears to be a different genus from that in the UK. In my experience (both UK and US) in the US the Leyland presents like a Canadian Helmlock - without the Wooly Ageldid blight factor.

See my thread on how I resolved my Leyland Cypress issues.

If you go ahead with Leylands, at least the advice here will help you plant them correctly. But I still think you may regret the choice in the future. Just how "very tall" do you need this screen to be? Consider that they won't stop at that height, rather they'll keep on growing rapidly. Tall trees are much more expensive to maintain or remove. The branches will also keep growing horizontally, and may eventually droop. By the time they droop, the branches will be too heavy for you to deal with by yourself, unless the city girl has developed real country skills by then.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruned our Leyland Cypress hedge

But I'm not talking about planting the wrong tree in the wrong place. Where there are no height restrictions, which is obviously true where we plant many pines, firs, etc, this plant alone seems to engender much hatred.

There are many trees native to Wisconsin, where I live, that are "giant weeds". These are generally my favorites;^)

Nothing said so far even comes close to explaining this strong dislike for Leylands that constantly gets exhibited here. I'm not saying it's not well-founded. Just that nobody has educated me yet to the issues.

+oM

My objections are confined to their use as a screen on residential lots, for which they're heavily promoted, but generally unsuitable in the long term. People should be told what they're getting themselves into.

"My objections are confined to their use as a screen on residential lots, for which they're heavily promoted, but generally unsuitable in the long term. People should be told what they're getting themselves into."

Thanks, sub. That at least makes sense. And I would concur. From what I've learned of their ultimate size, not a good choice. Though even with this usage in mind, it would depend on lot size, overhead restrictions, etc.

+oM

If it's a fast-growing, potentially very tall evergreen you want, nothing is better than leyland cypress for combining those three qualities. No one can honestly differ from that assessment.

We put in two 6-footers at Christmas 5 years ago to screen the view of the house from the bottom of the driveway, and they did the job in 3 years. Today they are 19 and 25 feet, with 8' and 11' girth.

In Virginia, deer do not eat leyland cypress. I know. We have deer on the property several times a week. I suspect deer do not eat leyland cypress anywhere, despite what is written in this forum. Young males will scrape their new horns on the lower branches, and destroy those branches. And then scrape the central stem. That's very different.

And curable. At farm stores we can buy tubs of "Deer Scram" granules. This is a natural, organic product with a smell deer don't like. They never get used to it. It works for a month to 45 days before needing re-treatment, and even works after snow has fallen on it.

It has worked for me 100% since I began using it. Before I tried these granules, I tried two liquid anti-deer formulations. They were completely useless. If anything, those liquids attract male deer.

"Deer Scram" isn't cheap. I buy the 25 lb pail rather than the 2.5 or 6 lb tubs. Southern States Coop has economy of scale pricing, and the stuff keeps because the tub lid has a good seal.

Just noticed on the product insert that there's a web link, www.deerscram.com if you want to read about it.

I might mention that this message puts my mouth where my money is. Yesterday I bought four 15-gallon leyland cypresses for planting now. One will be a Christmas tree for a few days, then it goes in.

On June 24, 2010, we had a spectacular, once-an-era windstorm that blew down 8 huge hardwoods bordering my property. We're talking 48" diameter oak and poplar. Cleaning up wiped out almost all the superb screening the property had on three sides. Our two leyland cypress were unmoved, probably because they were alee of the house.

The four leylands I bought yesterday are going in to begin replacing the lost screening. Even being this old, I may live to see them mature, Ditto the two paulownias we planted in September.

There's no other trees I can plant at my age that I'll live long enough to see mature, just some dreadful grasses.

Here is a link that might be useful: Freeware Hall of Fame