How to Prune a Private Hedge
- 1). Use the pruning shears to remove any unproductive growth. This should include any diseased, damaged or dying material. Cut out the growth right back to where the plant is healthy and green. Don't worry if this leaves a small gap, as the new growth will soon fill it. Decide on the shape you wish your hedge to be, making sure the base is always wider than the top so that light can reach all parts of the plant.
- 2). Use the canes and the string to set up a guideline along the top of the hedge to mark a nice straight edge. Use pruning shears or a hedge trimmer to remove any growth above the guideline. If your hedge has fine leaves such as box or privet, then you can use the hedge trimmer. If your hedge has large leaves, such as on a laurel, then you will need to use the pruning shears, as a hedge trimmer will tear the leaves. This can leave unsightly brown patches on the leaves.
- 3). Apply fertilizer and a layer of mulch around the base of the hedge. Having growth constantly cut off the plant drains its' resources, so it is important to feed and mulch hedges every year, preferably in spring. Another way to keep your hedge at its' best is to avoid heavy pruning. Light pruning twice a year is better for the plants than taking a large amount of growth just once a year. This also makes the job easier for you, and you don't have so much green waste to dispose of.
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