In order for the privet hedge to stay in shape, it must be trimmed regularly. Here you will learn everything about the correct procedure for cutting privet.
The most beautiful hedges can be left out liguster (Ligustrum) draw. If you do it right, you'll soon have a nice, dense hedge that catches prying eyes in your garden. If you have chosen a suitable time to cut back, then you can enjoy the wonderfully fragrant flowers. Bees, butterflies and types of flies will thank you. The dark berries then ring in the autumn and delight a wide variety of bird species.
Privet is very fast growing. The plant can grow 30 centimeters and more per year - up to a total height of five meters. A pruning is essential if the privet is to stay in shape. Fortunately, the robust plants are very tolerant of pruning. A regular cut promotes branching and makes the hedge opaque. There are no limits to your creativity, because privet can also be cut into beautiful shapes such as balls, pyramids or spirals.
Cutting privet hedges: the right time
For optimal growth, young privet must be cut several times a year. Two cuts a year are the norm. The first pruning should be done in early spring, just before the plant sprout again. It becomes more difficult with the second cut, because if you cut in June or July, you remove the flowers, which are valuable for pollinators. In addition, major interventions are not allowed at this time, as animals nest in the branches. You can only make the second larger pruning again in October, but a little more carefully than in the spring. The problem, however, is that with this second pruning you remove the berries that are valuable for birds.
Fortunately, older privets only need to be cut back once a year. In this way, flowers and fruits are preserved for wild animals. A few cosmetic corrections are also possible in summer with caution and consideration for breeding birds.
Cutting privet hedges: instructions
You really can't do much wrong when pruning the privet, because the plant is extremely resilient. The most important thing is the timing. When pruning back in spring, you can be a bit more radical so that the hedge is nice and dense and does not bare. You can cut the hedge down halfway if you dare. If the privet is bald, you can cut it back radically. Ideally, do this in early spring, as birds like to nest in the branches of the hedge during the summer. Too late in the year, heavy pruning will weaken the plant before winter.
In order to stimulate the growth of the hedge, the plants also need sufficient nutrients. All about the right one Fertilization of the privet find out here.
