Hedge trimming, like pruning, is one of those essential gardening tasks which have to be done, but is often done incorrectly. It’s often seen as a chore rather than plant or bush care (which it is) so it’s often rushed or not seen as a skill that has various techniques and strategies based on your bushes and hedges. Read on to learn how to improve your hedge trimming for the benefit of your garden.
It obviously prevents overgrowth, which is essential when your hedge borders public paths and areas, but like pruning it allows you to control the shape of the bush, and keep it healthy and under control. Not all plants grow in a way that is beneficial to themselves, let alone other plants nearby, so hedge trimming is essential for spreading light, keeping wildlife happy, and not allowing overgrowth to affect other bushes and plants as well as the overall aesthetic nature to the look of your garden.
This will all depend on the type of trimming you are doing, and the type of hedge or bush that you have, so the following simple guide will help.
These types of plants usually have two growth spurts each year, the main one in spring and then a less dramatic one in summer. The optimal time is after each of these growth spurts for maintenance. Major trimming should always be done when the plant is dormant and also never trim when the weather is dry.
Formative Pruning or Trimming – This is mainly done in a plant’s formative years until it’s established to make sure it maintains good health within the first 2 years mainly in spring.
Maintenance Trimming – This is done each summer to keep the hedges developing healthily.
Evergreen plants tend to be very vigorous growers and thrive when pruned biannually. If you want to make them dense then you can increase the number of times you trim. If trimming is in late spring or the beginning of summer then you should focus on new growth, you can also do these in summer but it there will be slightly more to trim due to the extra growth and will give rise to a looser more woody hedge. This may require more overall time and work though so that’s something to consider.
Formative Pruning or Trimming – This should mainly be done in the plant’s formative years until it’s established to make sure it maintains good health within the first 2 years, mainly in spring.
Maintenance Trimming – This should be done each summer to keep the hedges developing healthily.
There are multiple specific tools, but all will be either manual or electric or battery-powered. Power-assisted tools are easier but less forgiving of mistakes, manual tools are harder but easier to control.
if you have any doubts about your hedge trimming or are finding it too difficult, then contact your local arborists for a free quote.
