After the summer growth spurt, deciduous hedges, like beech and hornbeam, need to be pruned before the leaves change colour and fall. September is the best month to do it. Deciduous hedges are best pruned with secateurs, rather than with a hedge trimmer or shears.
How hard can you cut back a beech hedge?
Old and overgrown Beech hedges can be reduced in height and width by 50% or even more if it is particularly tall and wide. The best time to undertake this job is in the early Spring (February or March).
How do you prune a beech hedge?
Start with the top of the hedge, then do the sides. After leveling the top of the hedge, work down the side of each plant from top to ground level. Taper the beech hedge plants outward like the letter “A.” This allows light to reach the lower branches and encourages leaf coverage near the bottom.
When should I cut my hedge?
Formative pruning is usually carried out in winter or early spring. After this, maintenance trimming is carried out, usually once a year for informal hedges and twice a year for formal hedges. Some formal hedges may need three cuts a year. Maintenance trimming is generally carried out between spring and summer.
When should you cut back beech hedges? – Related Questions
Can I cut hedges in October?
The right time to trim a hedge
Best is to wait for these growth periods to slow down, so that the shape you give them will stay for a longer period of time. Consequently, from the shrub’s point of view, hedges need trimming in April-May and September-October.
How far back should you cut a hedge?
Remove up to one-third of the thickest stems down at the base of the plant, stimulating new growth; repeat the next year, and the year after. This will leave you with a healthier shrub that’s reduced in size.
Should you cut hedges in hot weather?
Generally, hedges tend to have two main growing phases – first in spring and then in summer. It’s best to avoid cutting your hedge down at these times.
Is it OK to trim hedges this time of year?
The very best time, however, is late winter or early spring – although these bushes stay looking green, these are the times when they are lying dormant, so they don’t actually grow. That means you can trim them and they will stay looking neat for potentially months to come.
Does trimming a hedge make it grow thicker?
Hedges are formed from upward growing plants, so to encourage a thick hedge the growth tips need to be removed. This encourages the laterals to develop. And clipping the laterals encourages them to also become dense with foliage.
What is the best way to cut a hedge?
Top tip!
- A line held firmly between two canes can act as a cutting guide before trimming.
- Aim to lightly trim the new growth to keep the hedge in shape.
- If using a power trimmer, check the sides are being cut evenly – look along the hedge as you work, stepping back to see the overall shape.
What should a properly trimmed hedge look like?
It’s important to trim the sides of the hedge at an angle, so that it’s wider at the bottom and slightly narrower at the top. That way, sunlight can reach the lower branches and root system, which helps the entire hedge grow green and lush. Pro Tip: Don’t trim hedges in early spring when birds are nesting.
Is it better to trim hedges in spring or fall?
Late spring, early fall,or winter (when the hedges are fully dormant) are the best times for pruning hedges. Don’t prune hedges during very hot, dry weather, and prune well before your first frost date. Try to prune on a cloudy day to avoid excessive leaf burn.
How do you cut a hedge like a pro?
Can you trim hedges too much?
Before you begin, there is another rule of one-third to remember: Don’t cut back any given branch more than ⅓ of its length. So, if you have a plant with 3-foot branches, remove no more than one foot of those branches each year.
Do you cut top or side of hedge first?
We recommend starting with the sides of the hedge first and working your way to the top. Cut flat along the tops of hedges up to 10ft tall, with our HT50 Hedge Trimmer using its adjustable cutting head. The head rotates through 135°, putting you in control of cutting the top of the hedge.
How do you cut a hedge for beginners?
How do you trim a hedge without killing it?
The first step is to cut out any dead wood and older growth from the point of origin. When cutting inwards with limited sight of the main branches, use small, slightly angled sweeping cuts. This lets you thin out the hedge without severing one of the main trunks. After this, the training cuts are made.