Quick Tips for Trimming Hedges Fast & Well
Updated: Sep. 28, 2018
Do your hedges need some pruning? Curious how often you should trim your hedges? Here are helpful instructions and guidelines to keep your hedges looking beautiful:
Trim conifer hedges twice a year, at the end of spring and in autumn, and your hedge of evergreen hardwoods at least once a year.
Informal hedges can be left unpruned, save for the occasional removal of old branches or congested growth.
Assemble all the garden tools you’ll need before you start, to make the job run smoothly, including:
– A sharpened set of shears or an electric hedge cutter (this tool represents a real time saving if your hedge is more than 3 feet long)
– Protective goggles
– Leather gloves
– Brightly coloured rope to serve as a guide
– A stepladder or a scaffolding ladder on wheels.
Start by evening out the sides of the hedge, working from bottom to top, then cut the top of the hedge.
The shape of the hedge should be trapezoid – in other words, wider at the bottom than at the top – to allow light to reach all parts of the plant.
