by Deborah Zamora
Many people start to sweat from nervousness when they think about trying to prune their hedges. The anxiety likely comes from the fact that most people never really learn the proper techniques to pruning and end up "winging" it the entire time. When you try to prune without knowing exactly what you are doing, the results can be inconsistent. One year you may come out with a lovely hedge, while the next year you may come out with a terrible looking hedge. If you want to prune the perfect hedge, there are some tips to remember when pruning.
The first thing you can do is decide if you are simply pruning the excess or dead areas of the hedge or if you want to shape the hedge. An initial shaping can be difficult, but once you get a shape you like, maintaining it is much easier. You can look through magazines or books at hedge shapes to use as a guide while pruning. Once you have decided what you want to do, you can move on to more preparation.
Devil: I’ll tell you what. You want to hedge your bet with me? Make eternity a little less ... hellish?
Amanda: What did you have in mind?
Devil: Did you see Rosemary’s Baby?
—Blake Edwards (b. 1922)
Experts say that the best way to begin shaping a hedge is to begin when the plants are small. By beginning early, you can "train" the plant to grow the way you want it to go. If you wait until the hedge is mature, you will likely have a lot more work on your hands. Keep in mind that generally, a hedge should always be wider at the base than at the top when keeping with formal style.
Some hedges should be cut back completely each year in order for the plant to produce the best possible appearance. Deciduous hedges such as spirea, privet, or forsythia should be cut all the way to the ground in late winter. This also gives you an opportunity to reshape the plant each year, which can be welcoming if you messed up the year before. Plants such as burning bush or viburnum should not be cut in this manner however. You can cut them in half and get great results nonetheless. When it comes to evergreen hedges, there is really not too much pruning necessary. It is best to begin in the summer and remove any new growth that lies outside your desired hedge shape.
When beginning to prune, there will be a few things you should consider. First, be sure to prune as often as needed and no more. You can prune each time there is between two and four inches of new growth. Some hedges will produce this once a month, while others may only produce this once a year. The growth rate varies depending on species of the hedge and planting location.
The hedge [of hawthorns] formed a type of suite of chapels disappearing under the wall of their flowers heaped as on an altar; under them, the sun placed on the ground a grid of light, as if it had come through a glass window; their fragrance was as smooth and as clearly defined in its form as if I had stood before the Virgin’s altar, and the flowers, so ornamented, each distractedly held its dazzling bouquet of stamens, fine and shining ribs of flamboyant style like those which in the church line the ramp of the rood-screen or the mullions of stained-glass windows and which bloomed into the white flesh of strawberry blossoms.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)
Second, be sure to remember you need to maintain the hedge's health. This may mean that you should leave a few unsightly sprigs of growth if they are helping the plant to grow in a healthy manner. Never trim so much of the hedge that you are compromising its health. This will only cause your hedge to die. If you want to prevent thinning, consider trimming with a taper. This means that you will keep the base wider and slightly taper the top in a more narrow fashion. This not only looks great but also prevents damage from the snow or ice.
If you are trying to train a hedge that has not matured, you can do so with pruning. Begin by cutting one third of the hedge back. This will force the hedge to grow laterally. Add fertilizer and growth food to the hedge to ensure that it will grow back healthy. Doing this to older hedges may not produce the same effects however, so only try it on young hedges.
Lastly, always be sure that you have an idea in mind before trimming. Never grab your trimmers and go at the hedge with no specific purpose. Doing so will always end up in catastrophe for your hedge. Trim small areas at a time. Always step back and admire your work before moving on to another area. If you are unsure about a certain branch, leave it alone. If you decide to remove it, you can always come back to that area a few days later. Taking your time and doing it right will always lead to a more beautiful hedge.