Are you in the area with Level 4 drought restrictions (no outside watering), if so then what means do you have to water them? As with any newly planted tree, watering regularly (once a week in the absence of good rain) is important to getting them established. You don't want to waste your time and money planting them only to have them die.

How close are you planning to plant them together? 50 trees seems like a lot. Make sure you give them plenty of room as trees that are too close together have a greater chance of being all affected by any disease that strikes one of them. I've provided a link to a relevant article below.

Look up the mature width of the trees and plant so that as they approach full size, they are just barely together.

Here is an interesting site on living fences.

Here is a link that might be useful: UGA publication on leyland cypress diseases

Was wondering what a newly planted 3 gallon leyland cypress might take for watering? Yes, i know that it is alot but part of my 1 acre property is up against a major road thus the need to put alot of something over there. yes, I leave in east cobb part of cobb county right outside of atlanta and we are part of the watering ban.....

I wouldn't give it less than a gallon of water per week and probably two would be better. You might want to rig up a rain barrel between now and then to collect water from your roof. One decent rain can fill it up (and more).

Anyway, consider using less than 50 of them and you'll have less to water anyway. Just guessing, but you probably want them 15 feet on center (that is, each hole would be 15 feet apart) at minimum if not more.

You know, fences don't need water .... Then you can plant some more attractive things on your side of the fence.

While driving around a few days ago, I noticed two separate "hedges" of Leylands with dead branches peppered throughout. I wish I'd had my camera to show you now. My first suspicion was the problem was linked to the drought. I drove less than a mile away from one hedge, and saw isolated Leylands in different locations with no signs of dead branches. I have a single Leyland myself and it has no dead branches either. Makes me wonder, that whatever was wrong, might have somehow been influenced by the Leylands being used as a hedge/screen. This is of course pure speculation on my part, because there are probably people on the forum with Leyland screens with nary a wayward limb, but it is rather interesting anyway.

Random dead branches on the tree is a symptom of fungal infection or canker. The tree will eventually become more infected and perish, while the spores are being spread by wind and rain to nearby Leylandii's.
It is not unusual to see infected trees around this area, because of the hot summer temperatures, as this conifer is not very tolerant of summer heat.
They are also shallow rooted and have seen them uprooted by high winds and heavy ice loads.
One of the few plants that the late JC Raulston(NCSU) introduced into SE horticulture, that he later apologized for and said on many occasions that he wished he could put the genie back in the bottle!
He said that it had become the most overused plant in Southern landscapes, even outpacing the Bradford pear.
Another native conifer, Thuja occidentalis, would be a much better choice for a screen, does not grow as tall and does not taper in toward the base, like the Leylandii.
One day you will probably see local restrictions placed upon the use of the Leylandii's as screens, as they have already enacted in the UK, where people have been murdered in disputes between property owners, concerning their use as screens. :Rb

Thanks for the link, Esh.

I planted a single Green Giant thanks to RB's endorsement a few years back. I like it a lot more than leylands in appearance. It looks more like a "real" conifer, if you know what I mean? Natural looking. I have several leylands, the three in the back are doing fine. Finally sizeable to hide my neighbors ratty old shed, but I'm not planning on them perminantly. I'm thinking holly would be pretty there instead. Pretty and POINTY, lol.

I would agree that leylands and bradford pears are two trees that are sold here for this climate and neither are really do very well in the long run. They were pushed by the local nursery industry many years ago, and have just become "standard".

GGG

Consider the use of Cryptomeria. A little nicer looking than the Leyland, but just as vigorous and perfect for a screen. More expensive, but if you might use fewer than the planned 50, you might be able to rationalize it. Main thing is that they do NOT have the same susceptibility to the fungal infections that decimate the Leylands.
Bill

I'm in georgia too and I am considering planting some leylands and a landscaper I may work with keeps asking me my budget. I don't know and don't want to throw out a number. What is the going rate to have someone come in and plant leylands including labor and the cost of the tree?

I love my cryptomeria. They are growing faster than my neighbors Leylands. Yes the are more expensive upfront, but worth it.

The only thing is they do turn browish in late winter, but green up again in spring.

You really do have to think of a budget, atlcharm!

Typically the cost of installed trees is twice the price of the tree (at wholesale prices). So if a wholesale tree costs the landscaper $50, he'll charge you $100 for the tree plus installation.

Grower's Outlet has Cryptomeria(several cultivars) and Thuja 'Green Giant' at the same price as leylandii Cypress.
3G/$10
Rb

Here is a link that might be useful: Growers Outlet/Availibility