Hedge trimming or hedge cutting is trimming tall hedges or overgrown shrubs for many purposes. Passersby would only have the impression that hedges are trimmed for landscaping. A beautiful landscape reflects an eco-friendly environment.
However, there’s more to hedge cutting than simply trimming the overgrowth.
The principle in trimming hedges goes primarily with cleaning the place and making it appear pleasant with plants cut and shaped into different forms. Hedge trimming, too, now becomes an art. If you have seen various shapes of plants formed into what the imagination of the trimmers can do, you can only admire how they were able to come up with masterpieces and works of art that simulate sculpture.
Hedges, too, serve as boundaries for homes or sidewalks and yards lined with shrubs and trees. When branches are sticking out, dead leaves fall frequently. Hedge cutting prevents the place from being cluttered with unwanted parts of the plants. A tree standing on a non-strategic spot, and whose branches and fruits are unpleasant seen, can also be included in the trimming job.
Techniques in pruning
Pruning involves cutting overgrown plants by removing first the thickest branch, starting from the base to promote regrowth. For new hedges, they need to be pruned for the first two years after they have been planted. This is called maintenance trimming. It usually conducted at least once in a year or twice for informal hedges. Bur formal hedges need at least three times in a year.
When is the best time to trim?
If you opt for maintenance trimming, the best times of the year should happen in the middle of spring and summer. However, this is not always the case. What’s important is knowing the proper timing of pruning ensures productive, healthy, and attractive plants. Shrubs and trees have their different pruning time, according to plant experts.
Plants covered for trimming are deciduous trees and plants. Deciduous plants are those that shed their leaves every fall. Most of the trees that shed are those with broad, wide, and flat leaves.
Deciduous shrubs, on the other hand, are pruned or trimmed based on their growth habit, season of blooming, or health.
For example, neglected flowering shrubs should be pruned by early spring or late winter to relive the plants. The purpose of rejuvenation is to restore the plant’s health. For healthy and maintained shrubs, they can be pruned after their flowering season, and they only require light pruning. This way, you’re giving ample time for these plants to grow flowers anew intended for the coming season.
Importance of trimming
Trimming shrubs or hedges are not only to improve the home landscape. Admittedly, they serve a valuable part in your garden, offering beautiful and colorful foliage, flowers, or fruits. More than these, shrubs provide a sense of privacy, blocking the unnecessary view of your home or the streets. They also serve to attract wildlife.
Proper and regular pruning keep your shrubs in good shape and health.
Other reasons for hedge trimming is when the plants encounter different problems:
- Nesting of wild birds on your shrubs or trees could damage the plant.
- Overgrown branches on the pavement block pedestrians and walkways.
- Extended branches and thick foliage can entangle with electrical wirings on the street.
Safety trimming methods
When trimming hedges, you need to have shears. Shears are best for small shrubs those below eye level. But for larger shrubs, an electric trimmer or the one run by petrol is better to cut thicker stems. A sharp or well-lubricated shear provides greater efficiency in trimming your plants.
For safety, it is always recommended to wear goggles to keep your eyes from catching shredded plant remnants. Gloves protect your hands against the weight of the shear and from picking loose stems and leaves compared to bare hands.
When using power tools, make sure you are using a ladder or a sturdy platform to reach for the problematic hedge. Using such tools above your shoulder is a little dangerous as you can lose control of the equipment, especially when it is connected to an electrical outlet. Check the cable and see that it does not entangle with anything on the ground or serve as an obstacle.
For a better understanding of overgrown hedges, ask our team of tree surgeons. They have years of experience and training in handling nuisance hedges. Arborists in Alpine Tree Surgeons can help you for hedge and shrub trimming tips and provide you information on step-by-step pruning method.
