Leylandii with wire embedded

Four years ago I planted a Leylandii hedge and dutifully staked each tree at about the 4' level. Stupidly I used some gardening wire around the stake and tree. Now the trees are 12' high (I need this height to block the view of the school right behind our house) and on each of the 45 trees, the wire is embedded into the tree. In a wind storm last week five of the trees broke right at the wire.

Luckily I can tie the trees at the 6' level to the the chain link fence. My first question is, will each tree eventually grow around the wires and re-attach itself and build a strong trunk that can handle the wind? Or will this always remain a weak point on the trees?

My second question is: I have these five tree stumps, about 4' high. Is there a way that I can graft new Leylandii into those stumps to grow from that point? Or do I need to dig them out and plant new trees?

 

Always remove staking etc. after one year. A common problem with Leyland cypress and other fast-growing items produced in containers is deformed roots resulting in the plants not being able to hold themselves up. When that is the case - and roots have not been successfully corrected at planting time - the solution is to replace with new specimens that do not have circling or knotted roots. And not to try and prop up stock with defective anchorage indefinitely. (Which with something like the heavy tops of Leyland cypress would have to be on the order of scaffolding for a building). And since they are not likely to sprout satisfactory replacement tops anytime soon, the cypresses that broke off because you left the staking wires on too long will also have to be removed and replaced.

 

So are you saying the the 40 twelve foot high trees that are still standing, but have the wire around them, will NOT grow over the wire and heal themselves? That the diameter at that point will always stay at about 2"?

 

I think survival of the trees depends on how much of the circumference is affected by the wire. If the wire was in contact in a "U" with an open side, you might have enough functional bark to keep the top of the tree alive until the affected side can grow over the wire. If the wire was in a full loop around the trunks, they are doomed sooner or later. There are a good few stumps of trees at my workplace that got to nearly a foot in diameter before the twine they were planted in killed them. Some were able to be saved by removing the twine before it was completely buried in bark.

 

A picture or two of the embedded wire would be helpful.