Leyland Cypress Q's... (growing, trees, spring, south)

[hotkarl]

Planted a bunch of 6 foot Leylands late last spring.
They seem to be very healthy, but they don't seem to be growing very fast, I keep hearing they do 3-5 foot a year.
Mine have grown to about 7/8 foot, but only the very thin part of the top, and they don't appear to be filling in together much on the lower end.
They get plenty of sun and proper water.
When do they stop growing for the season? Do they truly go dormant in the winter? I'm on LI NY btw...

Was I expecting too much too soon?
I want my neighbors gone ASAP. Thought this would do the trick in a year or 2, but at this rate it looks 5-8 years before they're blocked out.
Is something wrong with these or what?

[azoria]

You're expecting too much to soon.

You just planted them a few months ago. They'll spend most of their energy for the first year or two becoming established and putting out roots.

Next year you will see some foliage growth. The year after that they will have put out a good root system and should take off.

[ArkansasSlim]

Azoria is absolutely correct. My daughter planted a screen and it took a few years to grow big/dense enough for that purpose. One warning; they do not like "wet feet". Hers are planted down a slope and the lower end will stay wet in rainy season (it's been so long since one of those I barely remember
) and they died one by one until all in that area were gone. She is also having a fungus problem that kills the limbs which have to be trimmed.

[motordavid]

Agree with both posters above; like many shrubs,trees & perennials, they "sleep" the first year, creep the 2nd, and leap the 3rd. They are also susceptible to strong winds, and a canker.

LI...you could have planted some bamboo and really screened the neighbors, and your whole yard, lol!
GL, mD

[hotkarl]

Bamboo crossed my mind, but I know the nightmare it can become.
Ok, at least I know the trees are just doing their thing.
I figured my hopes were a little too high.
Is it too late in the season to plant a few more Leylands? Or wait til spring?

[azoria]

Patience hotkarl, patience.

Resist the temptation to overplant now because you want coverage now.

They will grow tall and fill in. Give them time.

Plants do not operate on our time schedule. They start slowly and then pick up the pace. Many bushes and trees we install will outlive us and still be here when we are long gone.

They're on a different program. We can plant them but then they do things their way, the plant way. Not the human way.

Relax.

[hotkarl]

Ha Ha! you must get along with your neighbors!
I know plants have their own thing going on, but you hear all this stuff about the Leylands growing like crazy...I'm still learning. I had a black thumb until this year.
I do love these trees though. Paid a premium for some perfect specimens, they literally are perfect christmas tree shaped and green as can be. They look so good you have to wonder if they are even real trees. Just wish they would grow a lil bit faster...

[DKVA]

hotkarl- you should be ok-I've lived on LI for 50 years and never saw Leylands.In Va they did great-Leylands need hot weather. LI does get heat but not like further south.
They will grow but I think not as fast as being grown in the south. Maybe I'm wrong-if so I know some one will net me know.

[Masika]

That isn't always true that they don't grow in the first year. I planted one took off and grew about 5 feet and it hasn't even been a year.

[azoria]

Ha! In Seattle I have seen any number of plants wildly outgrow their expected maximum sizes. I have seen lilac bushes completely overtake houses and yards. I have seen volunteer fir and cedar seedlings grow 3 feet in one summer. I have seen foxglove get literally, eight feet tall.

Remember just across the Sound is the world's largest temperate zone rain forest.

The OP does not live in Seattle.