Thickly planted hedges are a great and natural way to border off your property and keep animals and children in (or out). But a scraggly, yellowish, and unkempt hedge is unsightly.

One of the most important things you can do to keep your hedges, trees, and shrubs looking great, is regular and timely pruning. This allows air to circulate around the plant, providing essential nutrients like oxygen and carbon dioxide. It also makes sure there is enough room for the tree or bush to grow.

Maintaining your garden by trimming your hedges and trees is something you can easily do yourself. You don’t even need special tools – a pair of pruning shears will do the job. 

Also, see our Quick Guide to Garden Maintenance in Sydney.

Here are just a few reasons to keep your hedges well-trimmed

  • Improves leaf growth and flower yield
  • It removes old or infected deadwood and leaves
  • It improves the health of the plant
  • It Increases sunlight delivery to newer shoots
  • It encourages buds to open
  • Regular trimming prevents bacteria, viruses and fungi from getting into the plant, helping to keep it healthy

When is the best time of year to trim hedges in Sydney?

Generally, the dormant period over winter is considered the best time to prune and trim back your hedges, when plants haven’t produced buds. This is to direct the plant’s energy toward producing new growth. Leaving the plant to bud, and taking off the buds, means you are cutting off spent energy and the hedge will take longer to grow back. 

Pruning during early to late autumn can infect your hedges and kill them off due to an abundant presence of fungi spores.

Pruning tips for hedge trimming

  • Prune at the right time
  • Have a clear plan of what you want to achieve
  • Prepare and use the correct tools
  • Use a long burlap roll or tarpaulin and lay it down near the hedge to capture any trimmings that fall, this will save a lot of time and keep your surface area clean
  • Shear hedges without using a hand prune
  • Prune hedge narrower at the top and wider at the bottom to allow sunlight to reach lower areas
  • Use pruners for larger branches

If you find the process of hedge trimming overwhelming and intimidating contact Artview Landscapes. We understand that it may also be time-consuming for anyone whose work is demanding or who wants to spend their free time in some other way.

2023-07-22T00:23:17+10:00November 11th, 2022|