Hedge trimming: The Basics
Hedges can be a creative and beautiful way to define borders and boundary lines. They are an easy low-maintenance option for yards in the Fraser Valley.
Like all plants, however, hedges need regular maintenance to look their best, and trimming a hedge is not simply a matter of removing foliage to create a straight line.
Here are a few basic tips that will help you maintain your hedges.
Starting from scratch
The type of plants, and the style of your garden, will dictate how and when to cut it. Keep in mind that generally, a hedge needs a minimum of one metre in width. When it comes to height, eye-level is best.
Be sure to do enough research about the habits of any plants that you want to hedge. You don’t want to choose a variety that will overgrow your space.
Choose plants that grow naturally upright and tight and ones that are okay with frequent shearing and pruning.
Hedge trimming for the first time
Flowering and vigorous non-flowering shrubs should be pruned as soon as the hedge has been planted. Reduce the height of the plants by about one-third. This may seem drastic, but if you don’t prune the plants your hedge will always be thin and weedy at the base.
The following autumn, clip new growth back by half and start cutting hedge side shoots to the width you want the hedge to be. Evergreens and slow-growing deciduous plants should not be cut back after planting. Trim side shoots by a third but leave leading shoots to grow. The hedge will look thin but hold your nerve. Clip when the plants reach a few centimetres above the height you want the hedge to be. This will stimulate lots of side shoots and the hedge will quickly fill out.
Use both shearing and hand pruning
Regularly shear your hedges to remove branch tips, keep hedges neat and tidy, and stimulate bud production near the plants’ edges. Remember to keep your shears sharp and clean.
At each shearing, be sure to use bypass hand pruners to create some spaces in the hedge for light and air, and to encourage interior growth. To do this, reach inside every couple of metres and clip a branch or two at a 45-degree angle, just above a nub or leaflet that’s growing in a direction you want to encourage.
Old hedges, particularly privet ones, can begin to look bare in patches. Use the three-year rule to rejuvenate your plants. Remove up to one-third of the thickest stems at the base of the plant, which will stimulate new growth. Repeat the next year, and the year after and this will leave you with a healthier shrub that’s reduced in size.
When to prune
Formative pruning should be done the first two to three years after the hedge has been planted. It’s usually carried out either in winter or early spring. While regular yearly pruning depends on the type of hedge you have. Remember also, that tree trimming and pruning should be scheduled ahead of time. Plan for the best time of year to prune your trees.
Ideally, hedges should be pruned in late winter when plants are dormant and haven’t produced buds—particularly if you’re cutting back drastically.
You want the plants energy to go only towards producing new growth. Don’t prune after they bud – you’re removing spent energy and it will take longer for the hedge to regrow.
Evergreens should be pruned early in the season because they’re generally slower growing. They should also be watered the evening before a trim, and not be pruned when too dry.
Faster-growing deciduous hedge plants are more forgiving.
The golden rule with flowering shrubs is to wait until the day after the blooms turn brown.
Be careful of nesting birds. Early in the year, check that there are no birds nesting in the hedge. If there are, and trimming the hedge will disturb them, wait until all the chicks have fledged before trying again.
What to prune for hedge trimming
Hedges will naturally start to widen at the top where they receive the most sunlight. This means that lower branches will get less sunlight, and in turn produce less and less foliage.
Make sure to shear your hedges so that they are always wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. Start at the bottom and work toward the top. It is better to use string lines or a clipping guide to ensure evenness.
Leggy growth should be cut back after the plant has flowered to maintain the shape of the hedge but remove shoots with secateurs and not shears as this avoids the problem of clipped leaves rotting. Formal hedges need to be closely trimmed to keep a crisp outline.
Remember that if you decide to trim your hedge into a complicated shape, it will mean more maintenance in the long run.
For more information or services regarding hedge trimming in the Fraser Valley, contact us for a free quote.
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