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When should you trim a hedge?
Most gardens trim the hedge once a year, in spring. That is the main reason it looks shaggy by August.
The short answer: twice a year
The first cut is due in early June, once the spring growth has finished. The second is in late August, so the hedge goes into autumn looking tidy.
Trim only in spring and the hedge grows continuously from May, losing its shape completely by September.
What not to do
- Don’t cut in full sun. The freshly cut surface scorches and thuja browns.
- Don’t cut during nesting season without checking. From mid-April to early June it’s worth looking inside the hedge before starting the machine.
- Don’t cut back into old wood on thuja. It won’t reshoot from the brown part, and the hole stays there forever.
Shape matters
The base of the hedge should be wider than the top, in a slight trapezoid. That way sunlight reaches the lower branches and it doesn’t go bare at the bottom.