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Pruning and caring for your hedge
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Hedges have to be pruned regularly to stimulate new growth and to keep them tidy. While some gardeners will happily chop away with apparently little rhyme or reason, others take great care over every twig. However, depending on the hedge and the desired result, either method could be a success or a disaster. Nevertheless, pruning should not be a problem if you follow our simple guidelines listed below.
Trimming your hedge
There are two basic ways of trimming your hedge. Either let it grow freely and trim it occasionally, or keep it trimmed in a special shape.
The freely growing hedge
If you have a large garden, you can let your hedge grow freely, trimming it slightly once a year.
Branches that protrude too far must be cut off, together with all dead or diseased branches. Remember that, as this kind of hedge will eventually become very wide, this shape is only suitable for very spacious gardens.
Shaped hedge
To keep a hedge narrow and to give it an attractive shape, you should trim it regularly. If you don't it will not only grow very wide, but it will also become bare inside. After about 10 years your initially beautiful hedge will look old and neglected. To prevent this, trim it with hedge clippers a few times during each growing season, keeping it wider at the bottom than at the top. This will allow enough light to penetrate to the lowermost branches, keeping them an attractive green colour.
As you trim, work from bottom to top, trimming the side branches before the uppermost branches. String tied horizontally at the height you want to take the hedge to, will help keep it level.
Trimming in the first growing season
Immediately after planting, cut back broad-leaved hedges to around half their height. This promotes the growth of side branches at the bottom and makes the hedge fuller. Tops should be clipped widthways as well, to also encourage the development of side shoots. Don't worry about the height of the hedge. It will regain its original height in the first growing season. The side branches can be cut a second time later in August, after which you will not need to trim again in the first growing season.
Conifers should not be topped after planting. Just let them grow until, after several years, they have reached the desired height. The side branches of a conifer should, however, be trimmed regularly to ensure a dense hedge.
In the first growing season the hedge should be trimmed at least twice between May and August. The more often you clip the sides, the fuller the hedge will become.
The type of plant used for the hedge is of course an important factor. You can clip the rapidly growing Leylandii, for example, up to three to four times. However, never trim a conifer hedge later than August, as this will affect its hardiness.
Trimming in the second growing season
During the second growing season, the branches of broad-leaved hedges should be topped once more and the side branches cut back again if necessary. This will gradually give the hedge its shape. As a rule of thumb, a well-trimmed hedge should diminish in width by 10-20 cm per metre of height. A hedge that is 50 cm wide at a height of 1.5 metres, should therefore be about 70 cm wide at the base. If a conifer hedge has still not reached the desired height in the second season, it should not yet be topped, although the sides should be clipped at least twice between May and August.
Trimming in subsequent years
Until broad-leaved hedges have reached their desired height, cut back upward growing branches hard each year. If you want a wide hedge, trim back the side branches very slightly, and for a narrow hedge trim them back considerably. The pyramid shape can then be introduced in the early years, as spring growth will then be moderate.
By the third or fourth year, the hedge can gradually be brought to its desired height. Once it has the right height and shape, it will be important to keep it that way, so trim the hedge at least twice per season, in June and in August. When a conifer hedge has reached the desired height, the trees will need to be topped. From then on, clip the top and the sides twice each growing season.
Reviving an old hedge
If you have a neglected old, overgrown, open hedge, it can be repaired but it will require lots of effort and some courage.
For broad-leaved hedges, cut all branches down to about 25 cm from the ground. This is a drastic but necessary intervention. Then, remove the diseased and weak trees or bushes and replace them with new ones.
Keep the hedge in good shape over the next two years by trimming very frequently in late autumn or early spring, and then allow it to regain its original height over the next four to five years.
For a conifer hedge, cut away all side branches almost down to the trunk, until you have a row of almost bare tree trunks.
With a bit of luck lots of new shoots will then develop, which you can control by regular trimming to keep them in the required shape. After three years the hedge should once again be full and rejuvenated.
Caring for our hedge
In addition to clipping, as mentioned above, a little extra care will keep your hedge in good condition. In spring, scatter a layer of compost (optionally mixed with cow manure or artificial fertilizer) between the shrubs. In autumn you can spread farmyard manure which can be lightly worked into the soil later, in spring.
The disadvantage of a living hedge is that it withdraws nutrients and moisture from the soil and so shrubs that are planted closely together will need some extra food. This will be especially evident where flower borders or a lawn are situated next to the hedge.
To reduce vigorous growth, it is advisable to cut off the roots of a hedge (especially privet) with a spade, at a distance of 30-40 cm from the hedge by digging a trench about 1.5 spits deep.
For a more lasting effect, place a strip of tarred paper or plastic in the trench before filling it up.
After stunting root growth this way, it will be essential to feed at least once during the growing season, e.g. in March and if necessary, again in May or June.
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