How to Get the Best Hedge Trimming

Hedges grow towards sunlight, meaning the top of the hedge has more access to sunlight than the bottom. Professional hedge trimmers understand how to cut hedges properly to maximize sunlight. This ensures light reaches as far down as possible without losing the ideal shape.

Hedges that are not properly trimmed like this will develop holes, patchy areas and look less full and green. They will also tend to grow wider at the top, making them vulnerable to damage from snow and wind.

Even with adequate sunlight, when hedges are not pruned often enough they will experience interior die back. This means that the inside of the plant has only wood, no leaves. When this happens, trimming will result in large bare patches that will not regrow leaves. Correcting this issue takes years, during which the hedge will have to regrow and be pruned repeatedly.

When hedges aren’t pruned properly or often enough, it can take years to repair them. During this time, the hedge will look less full and healthy. If a problem is left for too long, sometimes the hedges cannot be fixed and must be replaced. Aside from the cost, planting takes time and there is no guarantee new trees will thrive in difficult urban soils.

Different hedges and shrubs grow at different rates and are more or less sensitive to pruning. It also depends on how neat you expect your hedges to be, the level of sunlight, water and soil.

Generally speaking you should lightly prune boxwoods, cedars, beeches and hornbeams 1-2 max per year as they are more sensitive to pruning. If you’re making more significant changes to shape, size or spread, wait until the next year to have them tidied up further to avoid damage. Yews can be safely trimmed back twice per year.

Hedges that grow out of invasive species such as Chinese elm, Siberian elm, buckthorn and others can be trimmed back between 2-4 times per year depending on their rate of growth.

We’re passionate about your trees, and have extensive experience in damaged hedge repair. Damaged hedges should be repaired as quickly as possible to ensure they survive, and to keep your home looking beautiful.

Hedges and shrubs can be damaged by heavy snows and ice, wind, other trees – even the soil they grow in! We don’t have an article about this yet, but soon we’ll cover how to do your own hedge repair after storm damage. Hedge repair is not dissimilar from tree pruning, as hedges are trees or woody plants. We have an article about DIY tree pruning that may offer some insight.

Shrinking a hedge or making it smaller is not for amateurs. You can easily and quickly destroy a hedge by cutting it improperly or too much off. Trimming a hedge is not the same thing as changing it’s shape, size or expression.

If your hedge is relatively young or small, you may be able to do it yourself. If it is mature, large, or growing like a green bubble – we don’t recommend it. What do we mean by green bubble? Well, if you push aside some of the foilage and look inside, is it empty or are there dead needles? Hedges grow out towards the sun and all plants need sun to live. As hedges get bigger, they can become like a green balloon – one thin layer of green on the outside and empty inside.

If you try to alter the shape or size of a hedge that has grown in this manner too drastically, you’ll end up with large holes and patchy sections on any area you cut. Why? Plants need sun to survive, but they also need needles and leaves to help generate energy through photosynthesis. When you cut or trim a hedge in a way that cuts off all of the green in a section, it will no longer be able to generate energy (grow) in this area. You’re left with a big hole and unsightly stubs and wood.

Making a hedge smaller takes time. It follows a similar process to making a tree smaller, because they are both related “woody plants”. First, we need to clean out anything getting in the way of sunlight. This means removing all the dead needles, leaves, dead twigs and branches from the hedge. It’s a very very messy process. If you’ve been having your hedge trimmed for years or been DIYing it, you likely have a hedge full of debris. This debris prevents proper airflow, increases moisture in all the wrong places, and limits sunlight. You will be truly shocked by the amount that comes out.

After removing all of this debris, we’ve increased air flow, increased space and potential for sunlight penetration. Now comes a combination of pruning, trimming and wiring. We prune off overgrown sections where it will not create a hole or gap, we lightly trim the faces (sides and top) of the hedge to promote new growth and we use wires to direct the growth of individual branches.

Hedges and shrubs can create softer lines in a garden full of hardscaping, or many different sized trees and plants. They also help delineate one area of your property from another, can act as a natural fence and improve privacy. Hedges and shrubs absorb sound, filter pollution, reduce ambient temperatures near your home and leave your property looking lush and green.

When taken care of, hedges, shrubs and ornamental trees offer immense value to your home. Not only do they benefit you on a day to day basis, they can also improve your property resale value. It is estimated that trees and other greenery like hedges can improve property value 5-15%. The better cared for, the higher that number is likely to be.

On the other hand, hedges and shrubs that are poorly maintained can result in significant costs and loss of value. When hedges provide privacy to your home, poor maintenance practices and other problems can cause them to grow improperly or die. Hedges that are “topped”, too aggressively trimmed or not trimmed often enough will develop serious health problems.

If your hedges develop health problems or serious damage, they may need to be replaced. Replacing hedges (especially tall or large hedges) costs quite a lot of money. If they don’t get replaced, you may lose the function they play in your environment. For example, you might lose your privacy, or the way a hedge fence between you and your neighbour.

Hedges can be a huge asset, like a green investment, but you have to maintain them to keep their value otherwise they can become costly.

We want to share as much knowledge as we can. Right now, we have an article on the Top 10 myths about hedges, and soon we’ll be adding more information on how you can prune or trim your hedges yourself.

• Maintain sharp tools for clean cuts.
• Taper the top slightly narrower than the base to allow sunlight penetration.
• Cut back older stems at ground level annually to promote rejuvenation.
• Avoid excessive pruning which can lead to bare patches.

Trees only began growing in urban environments during industrialization some two hundred years ago. Since they spent millions of years growing in natural environments, the changes that cities have brought are relatively recent. As a result, many trees suffer in urban environments. Since trees that are poorly maintained become a hazard and an eyesore, this can impact safety, property values and your enjoyment of your home.

Damaged Hedge or Shrub Repair:

Trim or prune immediately to avoid worsening damage. If branches are damaged by wind, snow or storms get your hedge assessed right away no matter the time of year.

Hedge Maintenance Trimming or Hedge “Haircut”:

Light trimming of hedges to keep them neat and tidy should be done during the spring and early summer. This includes hedging the face of the plant, and its tops and sides but doesn’t include significant changes to the height or spread. Large changes to size or shape should be done when the hedge is dormant.

Hedge and shrub Shaping:

Shaping requires taking off a more significant amount of material than hedge maintenance, so it should be preformed when the hedge is dormant. This should generally be done in late winter or early spring before “bud out”. Pruning in the summer is possible but should be done carefully to avoid sun scorch and other problems.

Reduce Height of Hedges:

Heigh reductions for hedges should be done when the plant is dormant, from late fall to early spring. Reducing height during the summer is possible but should be done carefully.

You might think the answer would be pretty straightforward. We wish it was! It would make everything much simpler. Unfortunately for everyone, pricing hedge trimming is difficult. There are many different species of hedge, and hedges come in all manner of sizes. Some hedges have been well maintained for years, others have been left to overgrow for far too long. Some hedges have been damaged by snow or storms, others by pests or drought.

Most of the time, when we get asked to trim a hedge, this isn’t exactly what buyers mean. Instead, what is need is to make it look good again, or reduce the height or spread regardless of appearance. Without really seeing what the current state of the hedge is, and fully understanding the expectations we can’t really tell what amount of work will be involved.

Factors that go into the cost of trimming hedges:

1. Size and amount to be trimmed
2. How much needs to be repaired
3. What the goal is

Trimming hedges promotes healthy growth, maintains an attractive appearance, and ensures safety by preventing overgrowth that could obstruct walkways or sightlines.

Avoid trimming hedges during their active growing season (late spring through summer) as this may cause stress and hinder overall growth. Instead, focus on light maintenance during early spring or significant shaping in late winter/early spring when plants are dormant.

All hedges are different and there are many different reasons to prune or trim a hedge or shrub!

Whether your home is Gergorian, Bay and Gable, Contemporary or a Tudor Revival, hedges play an important roll in enhancing the look and feel of a property. Keeping hedges trimmed and well maintained is essential but easy to do – Vista Tree provides tall hedge and privacy hedge trimming for hedges of all sizees with our special equipment.