Articles on Hedges | Topics: hedges, hedge, bushes, bush
by Phyllis Eaton
When you want to form your hedges into a particular shape, the task may seem difficult, if not impossible. Rest assured, forming the shape of your hedges is not all that difficult, and can be accomplished with both time and effort. The following paragraphs will take a look at some basic tips to follow when attempting to form the shape of your hedges.
The first thing you should realize when attempting to form the shape of your hedges is shearing is different from pruning. Shearing, also known as trimming, can involve the shaping of each individual branch in the hedge. Pruning, on the other hand, selectively removes certain branches to maintain shape and form, and promote healthy growth and appearance of the hedges. Shearing is what needs be done to begin to shape your hedges and then regular pruning sessions should be performed in order to maintain a perfect shape.
Next, when attempting to form the shape of your hedges, you should consider the type of hedges, and determine the proper time of year that your hedges should be sheared or pruned. Knowing which type of hedge works best for shaping and asking at your local garden center will help you get the best start. Be sure to let your garden provider know what you would like to do with your hedges so they can best provide you with the correct information to get you started. When you shear your hedges to form their shape at the appropriate times of year, you will see the best results. Hedges that flower in the spring are best shaped after their flowering stage. If you shape your hedges before the flowering stage is finished, you will be shearing off buds, thus giving you less flowering. Hedges that bloom in the summer are best shaped in the late summer, after the flowering stage is complete. Most varieties of evergreen shrubs that do not flower in the summer or spring can be shaped just about any time of the year. Before you begin to form the shape of the hedges, research the variety of hedges to determine the best time of year to shape them.
| Quote of the Day |
It was because of me. Rumors reached Inman that I had made a deal with Bob Dole whereby Dole would fill a paper sack full of doggie poo, set it on fire, put it on Inman’s porch, ring the doorbell, and then we would hide in the bushes and giggle when Inman came to stamp out the fire. I am not proud of this. But this is what we do in journalism.
| —Roger Simon, U.S. syndicated columnist. Quoted in Newsweek, p. 15 (January 31, 1990) |
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Using the right tools will also help form the shape of your hedges. While using electrical hedge trimmers can be done, professionals claim it is best to use a pair of hand held hand hedge pruning shears to form the shape of your hedges. Hand held hedge pruning shears will give you a closer cut, and will be able to reach places that electrical hedge trimmers cannot. Some varieties of hedges cannot be pruned with electrical hedge trimmers. It is important to research the variety of your hedges before you attempt to form their shape with electrical hedge trimmers. If you do decide an electrical trimmer may be best for you, you may want to consider using hand held hedge pruning shears for the first cut of the shaping, and then use the electrical hedge trimmers to maintain the shape in later pruning sessions.
When forming the shape of your hedges, there is something else you should take into consideration. When shaping your hedges, you should first thin out all of the dead branches, by cutting them completely off. Depending on your desired shape, you should then cut out any crossed branches, or any branches you find unsuitable for your desired shape. Next, you should trim the top, taking no more than six inches off the top. You do not want to overdo it on the first cut; you will eventually reach your desired size and shape. Finally, when you shape down the sides, you should always remember to leave the bottom just a bit wider than the top. This will encourage leaf growth from the top to the bottom of your hedges, as opposed to leaf development from the bottom to the top of your hedges.
Forming the shape of your hedges is not all that difficult, but it does take time and effort. You likely will not achieve the shape you want after the first shearing, but that is normal. Sometimes it takes several seasons to achieve the desired shaped of your hedges.
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