This is how you take care of the hedge
Outdoor plants and garden
A hedge needs regular maintenance to keep it looking neat and even. But when is the best time to trim it?
When are you going to trim the hedge?
It depends on the type of hedge you have, and when it blooms during the year. Deciduous hedges can be pruned early in spring and evergreen bushes in autumn, but there are exceptions. Spring-flowering hedges like spirea, almond rose, and forsythia are best not pruned in spring. Instead, wait until midsummer to avoid missing out on the flowering.So-called softwoods are best pruned in the JAS period (July, August, and September). Examples of softwoods include maple and common beech.Conifers like thuja, spruce, and yew should be pruned early in spring or autumn, when the growing season is over. If you prune the hedge early in spring, it may be necessary to trim it later in the JAS period, especially if it is a formal clipped deciduous hedge with strong growth. Trim little and often instead of rarely and a lot. This helps the hedge to become denser and maintain its shape.
Tools for trimming the hedge
The tool you need depends on the type of hedge you have. You can use anything from a handheld hedge shears, a small pruner, to electric hedge trimmers and loppers. A handheld hedge shears work great when trimming a low hedge and wanting straight lines.Loppers are used to remove individual leaves or smaller branches here and there.Electric tools can be useful when trimming larger lengths. Remove the thickest branches with loppers before using an electric hedge trimmer. Tips: Remember that the hedge should always be wider at the bottom - so that the light can reach the entire hedge and not become sparse at the bottom.
Some common hedges and their preferences
Below is a list of the most common hedges and pruning tips.
- Hornbeam - a deciduous hedge that should be pruned in the summer. Let it grow to the desired height before pruning the tops.
- Lilac hedge - deciduous hedges can withstand heavy pruning, and you can trim this one throughout the season, just take into account the flowering.
- Wintergreen - this deciduous hedge also tolerates heavy pruning. Trim it early in the spring or after midsummer. Do not cut off the wintergreen too late in the season, as it will stay nicer during the winter.
- Thuja hedge - trim the annual growth early in the spring or in the summer.
- Juniper hedge - prune in early spring, trim the annual shoots in the summer. Remember that hedges with a main stem should not be pruned at the top until they have reached the desired height. On the other hand, you can trim a multi-stemmed hedge at the top without it stopping growing in height.
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Outdoor plants and garden