There are hardly any hedges that do not have to be cut at all. As a rule, every hedge must be brought into shape on a regular basis. Depending on the type of plant, there may be a rule for back-pruning or shaped pruning. In principle, however, the rule of thumb is valid: the spring pruning should be finished in mid-March, the summer pruning begins at the end of July.
Protection times for hedges
Protection times apply to all hedges. They serve to protect our domestic animals and extend from 1. March to 30th September of the year. During this time, only slight shaped cuts may be made on a hedge. Anyone who does not comply with these protective times is committing an administrative offense that can be punished.
The right time
In principle, every hedge can be shaped all year round. However, it makes sense to find the best cutting time for the respective variety and only then cut. Then the cut will not cause any damage and the hedge will thrive. Early spring is particularly suitable for a cut. The trees have not yet sprouted and therefore only look bare for a short time. The new shoots quickly hide the interfaces. And the breeding business of the birds is not yet disrupted at this point. The hedge breeders among the birds are not disturbed.
The day for a hedge cut should ideally be covered. Too much sun damages the interfaces. With a cut before the In winter the temperatures should still be in the plus range, otherwise the hedge looks bare all winter and is not nice to look at.
If the hedge is around St. John's Day, which is the 24th June, cut, often drives them out a second time. After that, there will be silence for this year. Cutting is prohibited from the end of August. The tips that are still driven out can no longer ripen until frost and can therefore easily freeze to death.
If the hedge has to be cut before winter, autumn from mid-October to early November is the right time. The hedge plants are now already in the dormant phase. Now a cut is quite unproblematic. The prerequisite is that the ground is not frozen and that the sun is not shining. The late afternoon is ideal. Then not only has the sap withdrawn from the branches into the trunk and the sun can no longer dry out the interfaces.
The exceptions
The early flowering shrubs are an exception when cutting hedge. These are only cut after flowering. A cut in February or March destroys the existing flowers and the magnificent bloom is destroyed. Therefore, all flowering trees should only be cut after flowering.
The right hedge cut
Hedge plants are therefore cut regularly so that they do not become too high or too wide. In addition, the cut stimulates branching and leaves the hedges nice and tight
will. This is very important for the evergreen plants. There are also basics that should be considered every time you cut a hedge.- Cut an evergreen hedge in a trapezoidal shape, that is, wider at the base than at the crown. Important for a lot of light.
- A straight cut allows the lower areas of the plant to easily become bald from the inside.
- Better to round right-angled corners. This also brings more light into the interior of the hedge plant.
- For a straight hedge cut you need tools like a taut cord.
- Do not cut in the sun, because the interfaces burn easily.
- In snowy areas, cut the hedge to a point at the top. This prevents snow breakage.
- Wear gloves when cutting. This can protect against injuries.
Cut deciduous hedges
Deciduous hedges can usually also be cut back heavily. They reliably drive out of old wood. The cut is made from top to bottom. Check the overall picture again and again. A horizontally stretched string can also be of great help here. Here, too, the top should be cut narrower than the bottom.
Cut coniferous hedges
Coniferous hedges do not forgive cutting mistakes. It is therefore important to keep the trapezoidal shape right from the start. If the plants bald, the damage can hardly be corrected. With a thuja or false cypress it takes years for the holes that have formed to grow back up. In the case of conifers, such damage is irreparable. Coniferous hedges are not cut for the first time until a year after planting. You need rest to grow. From the second year of standing, regular cuts must be made, even if the desired height has not yet been reached. Since arborvitae are poisonous, allergic reactions can occur if they come into contact with the skin.
Tip: Long-sleeved clothing and gloves protect against skin contact.
Prune evergreen hedges
Evergreen hedges such as boxwood, loquat or cherry laurel should not be trimmed with electric hedge trimmers. Too many leaves are injured. Pathogens penetrate through the wounds and everything looks very good
ugly. A cut with secateurs is more work, but it is better for the health of the plants and the result looks much nicer.If the main shoots of evergreen conifers are 20 to 30 cm higher than the desired height of the hedge, they are cut 15 cm above the crown height. Sufficient shoots can form to overgrow the cut surfaces.
Cutting tools
There are many tools available for cutting hedge. When choosing, it is important to have sharp blades, strong loppers and good saws. Telescopic tools are ideal because they do not require a ladder to be used. Cordless devices make you independent of a power connection. Provided the battery lasts a long time, working with it is simply fun.
Facts worth knowing about hedge trimming in brief
Cutting a hedge is usually not that difficult. However, depending on the length of a hedge, it can be really exhausting. This is why keeping regular cutting dates and having sharp tools are a real help. Free-growing hedges can do without any pruning, but they require a lot of space. There is hardly any space left in a normal garden.
- A Hedge trimming should be in spring and Early summer take place, that is, in May and June, before the Bushes drive out.
- The second cut should then take place in the second half from August to October.
- If you have planted the foliage in a hedge, it can also be cut in winter.
- Usually one cut per year is sufficient, but the hedge will become thicker if it is cut more often.
Which shape you choose for your hedge is up to your creativity. However, you should note that the shape must be wider at the bottom than at the top. Otherwise the trunk could peel, which doesn't look nice. Another little tip: If you want a straight line, but don't dare to do it freehand, just tension a line so you always have a good reference point.
