Evergreen Shrubs . In general, spring-blooming hedges are pruned after they flower in the late spring or early summer. This new growth may not harden sufficiently before the arrival of cold weather and be susceptible to winter injury. The ideal weather for hedge trimming Do not trim your hedge when it is too hot or sunny, as there is a danger that the freshly cut surfaces will dry out and die. Pruning your landscape hedges at the right time ensures they develop their optimum form and keeps them from becoming too large or overgrown for the space. We receive a lot of questions about how to trim hedges. Pruning should be done a couple times of year, and trimming only as needed, once or twice a year, or never if possible. Either way, try to hold off until the season cools down a little and plants are less stressed. Don’t prune hedges during very hot, dry weather, and prune well before your first frost date. All hedges need to be trimmed once a year. If it flowers on new wood it produces in the spring, you can usually trim the hedge after flowering or in late winter before new growth begins. This will help allow more sunlight to the bottom of your hedge, keeping it healthy and vigorous. Your hedging plants can be pruned into arches, doorways, windows, and other unique shapes. Vigorous shoots that outgrow their companions can be clipped, but that is it. Although different types of hedges have different specific needs, follow these principles of hedge care for best results. Do not prune deciduous shrubs in late summer. Generally, these hedges are best trimmed right before they break dormancy in late winter or early spring. Trimming hedges, the right time When should a hedge be trimmed, what is the right timing, and how should one go about it best? Remove any debris left on the hedge to avoid this encouraging fungal disease. Melissa Lewis is a former elementary classroom teacher and media specialist. Green Giant Arborvitae, Prunus Laurocerasus, Flame Amur Maple. The ideal time to trim hedges varies among bushes. In addition, for all hedges, if you trim too late in the summer and the weather cools before new growth has time to mature, you could cause cold damage or winter kill to the hedge. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, North Carolina State University: Pruning Shrubs, Texas A&M University: Follow Proper Pruning Techniques, Clemson Cooperative Extension: Pruning Shrubs, Arizona Cooperative Extension: Pruning Hedges. It’s important to know just what you are doing, however, as over-trimming, or trimming at the wrong times can be disastrous for the hedges … Try to prune on a cloudy day to avoid excessive leaf burn. Hot, soapy water also kills most germs. Prune anytime to correct vandalism damage and hazards created by equipment or weather 3.) ), Regular light summer pruning is also necessary to prevent overgrown branches or to control rapid summer growth. Cut box, rosemary, lonicera, … Trimming your hedges may not sound like the ideal way to have fun, but if you want your garden to look its best throughout the year, it’s a job that needs to be done. Conifers that will take pruning into old wood are: Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese Red Cedar) Taxus baccata (yew). All Rights Reserved. If you missed these windows or if some branches just need to go, the hedges can be trimmed in the heat. Try to leave at least 10cm (4”) of green foliage. In general, spring-blooming hedges are pruned after they flower in the late spring or early summer. Virescens Western Red Cedar, American Arborvitae, Portuguese Laurel, Schip Laurel, Fagus Sylvatica, Green Mountain Boxwood, Royal Star Magnolia, Bald Cypress, Teton Firethorn, Carpinus Betulus. Either way, try to hold off until the season cools down a little and plants are less stressed. In addition, for all hedges, if you trim too late in the summer and the weather cools before new growth has time to mature, you could cause cold damage or winter kill to the hedge. Lewis holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. She has also written for various online publications. In a nut shell, it's not about pruning when it's hot out, it's about pruning in … But cut beech and hornbeam no later than mid-July if you want to enjoy the persistent winter leaves, as the resulting new growth needs time to get established. When pruning conifer hedges (Thujas, Taxus, etc), do not wait too long between trims. Remember to dry tools well after washing, too. When to prune. Generally, these hedges are best trimmed right before they break dormancy in late winter or early spring. If you allow them to become overgrown, then try to remedy it by pruning hard, they will most likely not backbud and “fill in”. Light foliage pruning should be done in spring and summer, but avoid particularly hot and dry weather. Formative pruning: In winter, just after planting, and for the first two years after planting ; Maintenance pruning: Each summer Frequency and intensity will depend on the hedge type. Late spring, early fall,or winter (when the hedges are fully dormant) are the best times for pruning hedges. Pruning hedges contributes to its overall health and quality and keeps it at the desired size. Summer blooming hedges and hedges that do not bloom are pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth appears. Deciduous hedges such as hawthorn and hazel can be trimmed between June and September. Formal hedges, with neatly clipped and shaped sides, require more frequent pruning through summer, while informal hedges left in their natural shape require only light pruning to remove dead wood and to maintain their height and width. Next year, however, try do the trimming during the ideal time for your particular hedge. Trimming your hedges may not sound like the ideal way to have fun, but if you want your garden to look its best throughout the year, it’s a job that needs to be done. Dormant growth buds start to mature following pruning, and late winter pruning will have them ready to … Pruning should be done a couple times of year, and trimming only as needed, once or twice a year, or never if possible. Timing of pruning should take into account the potential for nesting birds (see 'Problems' section below). Prune these shrubs in late winter or early spring before growth begins. This includes Leylandii hedges as well as Laurel, Portugal Laurel, Box, ... to recover and put on a bit of re-growth before the winter but try to avoid trimming your hedge during periods of very hot or dry weather. You can always trim more, but you can’t undo a careless cut. Evergreen hedges, such as boxwood (Buxus spp. With over 25 varieties and 3 convenient heights available, our hedges are perfect for privacy, to create garden rooms, or border plantings. In the second year of growth and beyond, annual hedge trimming should begin. Pruning flowering hedges at the wrong time prevents the hedge from producing flowers the following season. You’ll want to refer to our other care guides to learn the  best way to water hedges and how to fertilize hedges to keep your hedge in great shape for years to come. Now you know everything there is to know about how to trim hedges – have fun! Hedge maintenance is a simple process that can be easily integrated into a landscape routine. It’s important to know just what you are doing, however, as over-trimming, or trimming at the wrong times can be disastrous for the hedges you are working on. In the first year of installation, pruning should be kept to a minimum to allow the hedge to acclimate to space. Adhere to the first two steps to help the hedge handle the stress of pruning. Damp weather encourages the growth of microbes that will make the most of the damage your pruning does. A weather dependent question - Desire to see them bloom aside, late winter or early spring in mild climates, spring after hard frost no longer threatens where winter is more severe. InstantHedge delivers uniformly pruned, finished hedges, so a simple annual maintenance trim is all that is required. Slow-growing hedges (like Emerald Green Arborvitae) may only need a trim once every 2-3 years, while fast-growing hedges (like Green Giant Arborvitae or laurels) may need 2 trims per year, especially if they are intended to be a compact, formal hedge. Often used to mark property boundaries, or simply to fence out special portions of the garden, a hedge usually requires little care: at most, trimming once or twice a year. Trim for a minute, then step back and make sure you are following the line of the hedge. Copyright © 2020 InstantHedge. In a nut shell, it's not about pruning when it's hot out, it's about pruning in … Take your time. Some flowering shrubs, like camellias (Camellia spp. Evergreen hedges, such as boxwood (Buxus spp. Pruning requirements for some of our most popular hedges can be found in the following tables: Emerald Green Arborvitae, Yew Hedge, Holly, Arrowwood Viburnum, Fagus Sylvatica Atropurpurea. Time To Trim Or Cut Hedges. When to prune hedges. To encourage height increase, simply prune the sides and allow the top of the hedge to grow freely.

trimming hedges in hot weather

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trimming hedges in hot weather 2020