A malleable wood
A conifer hedge must meet different expectations in terms of shape than a free-standing conifer. The green border separation should sometimes be like a wall and, above all, opaque. To do this, it has to be cut a lot and regularly. The question is therefore justified whether the conifers can withstand such extensive pruning measures at all.
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You don't have to worry about a conifer in this regard, because it is easy to prune. As long as you follow a few cutting rules, it will remain completely green and in shape. It is you who have to consider whether the editing effort can be mastered in terms of time. If you treat it too carelessly, it can Conifers turn brown.
When and how often do you cut?
The evergreen conifer hedge needs to be brought into shape at least twice a year. First in May or June, when the pale green new shoots appear. The scissors are used for the second time in August.
Some conifer species are so fast-growing that further pruning is necessary. But even in this case, the cutting time is over by October at the latest, because the wood must be able to recover from the cut by winter. The chosen day for the cut should be cloudy, it can even rain.
Correctly shape the conifer hedge
Conifers are compatible with pruning, but you shouldn't go all the way into the old wood. No new shoots will result from this, which can result in unsightly gaps or would result in brown spots. That is why the first pruning must not be done too late after planting.
- begin as soon as the desired hedge height is reached
- only cut young green shoots
- Shorten by a maximum of 10 cm
- cut narrower at the top than at the bottom (conical shape)
- this way the lower part of the hedge also gets enough light
- this effectively prevents scaling
- Limit height as desired
Tips
A special nutrient combination of iron, sulfur and magnesium also ensures a beautiful hedge. Fertilize the conifer hedge necessarily with a fertilizer that offers these three elements.
Suitable tool
You should get the best cutting tools for the conifer hedge. It is worthwhile to focus on quality and spend a little more money on it than on that Loppers a challenging task awaits. During the long period of use, it should always be sharpened and cleaned thoroughly. Clean, smooth cuts heal faster. Frayed interfaces, on the other hand, are an invitation to pathogens to penetrate the interior of the tree and damage it.
Electric shears make cutting large hedges a lot easier because they can save a lot of time. However, they are not absolutely necessary. Decide for yourself whether you prefer electrically operated tools or the manual version.