Trimming Leland Cyprus Trees

[WalkerMan9669]

I recieved a call from a woman who has 14 leland cyprus trees.......and she wants the top 1/3 of the tree cut off or trimmed. Can anyone help me out with how i cut it? (Straight across? diagonal?) And also what to charge? I have no idea how to do this.....and yes i know, i should probally have training and stuff like that, but i am going to try and attempt it anyway. PLease help.....thanks guys

[Lawn-Scapes]

I don't know what it's like down there in NC.. but here you need to be licensed to do any tree trimming... even a single branch.

Are you willing to accept responsibility if you kill all 14 of those Lelands? I know I wouldn't cut the tops off them.

[K&L Landscaping]

Leyland Cypress in my opinion should have a round-over type trim. Usually a good rule of thumb is to trim no more than 25% of the tree. Remember, when pricing the job you will have all this brush to remove which is a major PITA. Pricing all depends on the size of the tree. In my area the market will bear about $75 per tree if it's less than 20-25 feet tall. Hope this helps some.

[tjgray]

Why anyone would want to help someone who obviously by his written statement above has absolutely no respect for the green industry or the professionals whom make their living in it what so ever?

In my opinion it is those who know that they need training and knowledge but don't care to take the time to gain it, instead they just go full steam ahead and hope they don't mess something up that are the biggest threat to the green industry out there.

I am not trying to be ugly but the above post just makes me crazy :dizzy:

[PMLAWN]

Why anyone would want to help someone who obviously by his written statement above has absolutely no respect for the green industry or the professionals whom make their living in it what so ever?

In my opinion it is those who know that they need training and knowledge but don't care to take the time to gain it, instead they just go full steam ahead and hope they don't mess something up that are the biggest threat to the green industry out there.

I am not trying to be ugly but the above post just makes me crazy :dizzy:

2 sides to this as he is asking to be taught, but is going to go at it. I have learned a lot from this site and some of those things have helped me to get jobs over others that I believe at one time may have had more knowledge than me. BUT it also taught me to do some things right and how to charge the right price as some things I just did not know how long it would take.
A good person with good intentions will do the right thing and will be good for the industry. A poor person that is just out for themselves will soon be out of business anyway so I don't think info will do to much damage.

By the way I round off the top so it does not look to chopped off.

[K&L Landscaping]

Why anyone would want to help someone who obviously by his written statement above has absolutely no respect for the green industry or the professionals whom make their living in it what so ever?

In my opinion it is those who know that they need training and knowledge but don't care to take the time to gain it, instead they just go full steam ahead and hope they don't mess something up that are the biggest threat to the green industry out there.

I am not trying to be ugly but the above post just makes me crazy :dizzy:
Come on tjgray, give the guy a break. I think it's admirable to be a go-getter and try new things. At least he is coming to a place and asking for advice before he goes forward with the job. Hang in there WalkerMan9669 don't become discouraged, you'll do the job just fine.

[tjgray]

He is asking for you to teach him how but has already stated that he is not willing to take the time to be properly trained.

That to me shows dis-respect for the industry and to those of us who strive to be professional. He will get no breaks from me with that kind of attitude.

[tjgray]

[QUOTE=PMLAWN]A good person with good intentions will do the right thing and will be good for the industry. A poor person that is just out for themselves will soon be out of business anyway so I don't think info will do to much damage.[QUOTE]

I don't really totally agree on that one. I think the poor ones that are just out there for themselves hurt the industry as a whole even if they do eventually go out of business....jmo :)

[bobdaduke]

I cut about 6 inches off the top of Leylands and feed them with High Nitrogen feritilizer or chicken manure this time of year, they grow wide and quick. Watch out for grubs, they will eat a leyland up.
:cry:

[tjgray]

I doubt very seriously that walkerman knows what a grub is much less what to do with one.

[bobdaduke]

I doubt very seriously that walkerman knows what a grub is much less what to do with one.
True, But if he sticks with this site, he can learn alot from the pros, Im not a Pro yet but get paid like one.
:rolleyes:

[sildoc]

Why anyone would want to help someone who obviously by his written statement above has absolutely no respect for the green industry or the professionals whom make their living in it what so ever?

In my opinion it is those who know that they need training and knowledge but don't care to take the time to gain it, instead they just go full steam ahead and hope they don't mess something up that are the biggest threat to the green industry out there.

I am not trying to be ugly but the above post just makes me crazy :dizzy:

I am seeing it like this. When I worked for the man and was looking for better jobs that I know I could do but didn't have the experiance.
This is what I heard alot. We only hire experienced people. I applied to 8 places for the same type job and had 8 interviews. After hearing this 7 times I finally asked Job number 8 interviewer.
Interviewer: Do you have any experience in this line of work.
Me: Funny you should ask that as the last 7 places asked me that too. At this time I have no experience and Nor will I be able to get experience if I am not hired and trained to get it.
Interviewer: That is correct, however, we only hire experienced people.
Me: How do you find experienced people?
Interviewer: They usually come to us.
Me: Were they born that way?
Interviewer: Probably not.
Me: Well I guess in my next life I will be born with the ability to do this job, However I will probably want to be a doctor then and they will want someone with experience of being a doctor.

Any ways my point is that the only way you get experience is by doing it. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't.

By the way I got the job. How I don't know but I did.

[tjgray]

That everyone has to learn somehow and somewhere but I wonder if walkermans customer knows and is comfortable with him learning on her Leylands.

The key message I got in your post Sildoc was that you were trying to gain experience by getting hired and trained not just jumping out there on your own with no knowledge what so ever on how to do the job.

I just hope walkerman will curb his eagerness just a little and take the time needed to get properly trained or that he makes sure to have good insurance :)

[bigviclbi]

here's a little prayer for the leyland's :)Giving the fella sound advice will help the industry more than bitchin about him, since it sounds like he's gonna do it anyway.

[WalkerMan9669]

thanks k&l for having an open mind. For you other guys, I know i dont have experience....but the only way you learn is by going out and doing. To learn, u first have to go out and accept jobs that you might not know how to do. Thats exactly what Bill Gates did...and look at him now. Im just saying that if i dont go out and at least try to do something...i'll never learn.

[David Grass]

Yes, it is a specific question, He knows it is a Leyland, something that is hard as hell to kill, and if he has an artistic sense, he can probably accomplish it better than pompous ass holes, and I bet it will even look better than what a self described pompous ass could do. I know, because I have worked with ,and for them, and lets face it. Once you know the plant, and know how to prune it, and when to prune it, and how much, an artistic consientious person can do just fine.

[David Grass]

PS admit it, can he kill the Leyland??? I dont think so

[Lawn-Scapes]

You seem to be implying that someone here is a pompous ass hole... Are you?

I don't know if a Leyland will die if you cut the top one third off. I do know it's a lot to chop off at the top and they will probably look like sh!t. Why anyone would even want one trimmed or rounded at the top is beyond me... as they look beautiful as they are.

[David Grass]

You seem to be implying that someone here is a pompous ass hole... Are you?

I don't know if a Leyland will die if you cut the top one third off. I do know it's a lot to chop off at the top and they will probably look like sh!t. Why anyone would even want one trimmed or rounded at the top is beyond me... as they look beautiful as they are.
I am implying that, but it was not you>

[tjgray]

here's a little prayer for the leyland's :)Giving the fella sound advice will help the industry more than bitchin about him, since it sounds like he's gonna do it anyway.

Your absolutely correct Big Vic :)

But the below quote made me crazy and brought out the biatch in me.

and yes i know, i should probally have training and stuff like that, but i am going to try and attempt it anyway

Walker Man not knowing what your doing but jumping out there anyway is NOT the way to learn and from your above statement that is exactly what I gathered you were going to do.

The green industry is not the computer industry and can in no way be compared as such.

I tell you what you be up front and honest with your customer and tell them your level of experience and if they are ok with you learning on their Leylands than go for it :)

And David my point was that walkerman does not know the plant, and he does not how or when to prune it *he didn't even know how to correctly spell the name* so I don't think his artistic talent is going to help him all that much.

I will end by saying I hope walkerman has a good insurance policy because it sounds like he is going to need it :)

[David Grass]

well, you do have a valid point, I just think you jumped someone real quick. I saw that in some "landscape" pros around here, we did a complete hemlock hedge, and he had not come "on the job sight" to exercise his expertise in oratory to us, and upon finding out this "act" went bolistic at lunch, only to come out to the job sight and become "speachless" at the impecable job we had done. We knew the damn plant, knew how to bevel it , we are artistic and careful, and by GOD, we did it better than he EVER could have.

[tjgray]

I did jump him real quick but like I already said that one sentance made me crazy.

This industry isn't child's play. The difference between you and walker is you at least seemed to have some knowledge of the plants you are working with :)

Honestly the best advice I could ever give walker is to find a mentor in his area and take some time to learn. He is young and having a son that is almost his age I understand you can't really get through to them sometimes. I just hope he doesn't mess himself up.

[David Grass]

True, and in your defense, I probably projected my past experiences somewhat unfairly upon you, but hey, thats what makes these forums interesting, I had rather respond to a passionate comment by you , that got my interest, we all learn this way. It is good for us all to really "care" in whatever way we do.