Trimming Hedges Way Back

1 use loppers to remove one third of the older stems so sunlight can penetrate the hedge s interior. But the other shrubs shouldn t need any more attention until the following year when they hit another growth spurt.

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Trimming hedges way back

Cutting back the upright stems to a 6 to 8 inch height encourages branching when the hedges resume growth in spring. 2 find long stems that grow out of hedge and snip them close to the ground. The shrub will be little more than an unattractive clump of stems for a short while but it quickly restores itself to a new improved shape.

Hedge and shrub trimming tips a hedge trimmer with extended reach and a pivoting cutting head simplifies trimming tall hedges. Remember new growth will add additional height over the next six months. At least mine don t anyway.

Just remember to trim off the dead as needed on your flowering shrubs. 3 where one stem branches into two cut just above the y shaped split. When pruning mature overgrown shrubs remove the thickest branches first.

Rejuvenation pruning takes a shrub all the way back to within a foot or less of ground level. Hedges can be trimmed up to three times a year. This can cause damage to birds nests or scare birds away from the nest abandoning their young.

Using loppers and a pruning saw cut back all stems to within an inch of the ground during the plant s winter dormancy. The healthy root system of the shrub responds by pushing out a wealth of new shoots that you train over the next few seasons and maintain at the height you want with subsequent pruning. Most deciduous shrubs that respond well to renewal pruning can also take hard pruning as will a handful of broadleaf evergreens such as privet.

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