How To Trim Hedges

When To Trim Your Hedges

New hedges need formative pruning in the winter or early spring for the first couple of years after planting to ensure they grow in the shape you want be it decorative or for privacy.

After that, your hedges require pruning during the winter (when they're dormant) and maintenance trimming in the summer. You can usually get away with  trimming informal hedges once a season, but formal hedges require trimming for shape twice a year to keep them uniform and seamless. Some formal hedges may even require trimming three times a year, depending on the species and speed of growth. 

Generally, the best time to do maintenance hedge trimming is between spring and summer. However, you may need to delay your pruning if birds nest in your hedges to give them time to raise their young. 


Talk to us to learn the best time to trim your particular hedge. For a more detailed guide on pruning techniques, read our article on pruning young trees if your hedge is less than 3 - 5 years old, or our article on pruning mature trees.

How To Trim Your Hedge: Trimming Techniques

HEDGE TRIMMING SAFETY TIPS

Wear gloves and closed-toed shoes while pruning your hedges. Wear safety goggles and sturdy work gloves when using a power pruning tool. 

Remove any obstacles from the area. Do not operate power trimmers above shoulder height; use stable and sturdy platforms or step ladders. Do not use electric hedge trimmers in damp conditions. To avoid accidentally cutting the cable or tripping, carry the cord over your shoulder while pruning. 

Formal Vs. Informal Hedges: What’s The Difference

A formal hedge is a row of identical plants, closely clipped and uniformly pruned so they look like a single plant. 

An informal hedge is a line of shrubs that are allowed to grow more naturally and have a less uniform structure. 

Deciding whether you want an informal or formal style hedge will help you know how and how often you need to prune and trim your trees.

How To Trim Formal Hedges

Even the most vigorous hedge does not need to exceed 2 feet in width. All hedges should be slightly tapered on each side so that the base is wider than the top to allow light to reach the bottom. The degree of tapering will vary depending on the desired shape and structure.

How To Trim A Hedge For Height And Shape

1.  Create A Guide. To cut straight edges, use a taut horizontal string tied between two canes or stakes to act as a guide to cut the top of the hedge level. Push stakes into the ground to trim the sides vertically.

2.  Create a tapering template. When shaping the top of the hedge, create a template of the arch or shape you want out of cardboard or plywood. Cut the top of your hedge using the guide while sliding it along as you prune. 

3.  Keep the blades of the shears parallel to the line of the hedge as you prune to ensure clean, straight lines. 

4.  Power trim using a broad, sweeping, upward motion. Using a powered hedge trimmer, keep the blade parallel to the hedge and cut using a broad, sweeping action, working from the bottom upwards so that the cut foliage falls away.

5.  Hand prune inner branches every few feet for light penetration. As you trim the sides of your hedge, reach inside the bush every few feet and cut one or two branches with hand shears at a 45-degree angle just above a nub or leaflet growing in a direction you want to encourage. 

Interior pruning improves airflow and sunlight penetration to prevent your plant from looking lush and green on the edges and dead inside.

6.  Trim lead shoot to desired height f you want your hedge to grow taller. Trim the topmost branch, or “lead shoot,” to the desired height. 

Following these steps will encourage healthy growth and result in a uniformly shaped hedge or shrub.

How To Prune A Severely Overgrown Hedge

If your hedge is old and severely overgrown, apply the three-year rule to provide rejuvenation pruning. Cut up to one-third of the thickest stems down to the plant’s base to stimulate new growth. Do this the following year and the year after. The result will be a smaller, healthier shrub. 

Once you have gotten your hedge under control, you can follow the steps above every winter and summer to keep it healthy and attractive.

How To Prune And Trim An Informal Hedge

When pruning an informal hedge, remove misplaced shoots, and cut it back to your preferred size. Use loppers or secateurs to prune to avoid damaging the leaves, especially if your shrubs are evergreen.  To keep it in the desired shape, trim new growth in the summer; after flowering if it's a flowering or fruit-bearing plant.

Final Words On Hedge Trimming 

The hedge maintenance tips in this article are general guidelines that will help you keep your bushes and hedges healthy, well-groomed, and growing into the shape you want. 

Before you take the shears to your hedges or shrubs, talk to a tree care specialist or another expert to find out how to best maintain your particular plants. Depending on the age and species, your hedges may require more or less frequent pruning. 

For example, evergreen trees only require trimming or pruning in early spring. They grow slowly, which can cause them to look bare if trimmed later in the season. Flowering shrubs should not be pruned until after the blooms have turned brown.

Tips To Choosing The Right Plants For Your Hedge

When choosing plants for your hedge, decide how high and wide you want your hedge before you plant. Choose varieties with well-suited growth habits for the type of hedge you want and won't overgrow your space. Doing so will save you the frustration of keeping it under control or not achieving the look or level of privacy you desire. 

If you want a more naturally shaped evergreen hedge that requires minimal pruning or maintenance, choose western arborvitae, eastern red cedar, juniper, cypress, hemlock, fastigiate white pine, and some varieties of holly. 

Other informal hedge options worth considering if year-round foliage is not essential are flowering shrubs, such as forsythia, lilac, hydrangea, rose of sharon, crape myrtle, or rugo­sa roses.

If you want to create a natural privacy barrier, choose tall trees and a mix of coniferous and deciduous species. 

Sound Tree Care LLC is a tree care company serving SeaTac and the Seattle, Washington area. We have an arborist on staff and are happy to provide you with tips and recommendations on what plants will achieve the goals you have for your hedge and how to maintain them. We also provide hedge trimming services so you can enjoy the beauty and enhance your curb appeal without the effort.

If you have any questions about your hedges, shrubs, or trees, we are happy to answer them. Talk to us today.