No matter what type of hedge trimmer you are using to grow & maintain your hedges, the best practices for creating a well shaped hedge are the same. Follow these simple steps to safely trim your hedges with confidence!
When should I trim my hedges?
Experts agree that the best time to trim your hedges is during Autumn or Winter. The key time of year to avoid hedge trimming is during early Spring, as you may cut off new growth.
Get safety sorted first!
Before starting your hedge trimmer ensure that you are prepared from a safety point of view. Consider:
- - Is the weather appropriate - avoid hedge trimming in rain or strong wind
- - Has your hedge trimmer been properly assembled
- - Remove any tripping hazards or obstacles from the area - for example garden hoses, loose branches, lawn debris
Next, make sure you are wearing appropriate safety gear including:
- - Safety goggles
- - Gloves
- - Non-slip close toed shoes
- - Close fitting pants & long sleeves shirts to avoid cuts from branches and clothing getting caught in the blades
- - Avoid accessories such as scarfs that can get snagged on branches
- - Ear protection (especially if using a petrol powered leaf blower)
Plan before you start trimming
Hedges are incredibly versatile, so it’s key to know what design you are aiming to create before you start actually trimming the hedge. Are you wanting to create privacy for your garden with a tall hedge? Or are you aiming to add some structure to the front of your house with a low hedge along the property border?
Next, ensure you have adequate power for the job! If using an electric hedge trimmer, can the cord reach all areas of the hedge easily? If your hedge trimmer is petrol, do you have enough petrol for the size of the job? And if you have a battery powered hedge trimmer, are your batteries charged ahead of time, or do you have a replacement battery ready to go?
Know how to hold your hedge trimmer
Holding your hedge trimmer appropriately will not only produce a better finish, but will ensure you use the tool safely as well. Grip the front and backhand grips of the hedge trimmer tightly with both hands. Place your thumb under the handle for additional stability. And always be sure to keep your hands behind the hedge trimmer’s protective guard and well away from the blade!
Start from bottom to top, on the front face of the hedge (aka the sides)
Always work your way up the hedge and maintain a steady and slow pace when trimming. You want to angle the sides of the hedge such that the bottom of the hedge is wider than the top. To achieve this, you will need to cut the sides of the hedge on an angle. This will allow sunlight to reach the hedge’s root system, for steady growth and lush, green hedges.
Trim the top of the hedge
To best trim the top of your hedge, you again want to proceed slowly, only trimming a few inches of the hedge at a time. Use a sweeping motion to guide the trimmer left and right, level with the top of the hedge. Hold the hedge trimmer at a slight angle of approximately 10 degrees from horizontal, while maintaining a strong stance, bracing your elbow against your side to maintain best control of the hedge trimmer.
If your hedges are small or medium sized and you feel comfortable, you can simply trim the hedges freehand. For longer hedges, you can create a guideline by setting up stakes at either end of the hedge and tying a string between the two points. This will act as your guide to ensure you maintain a consistent height of the hedge as you trim.
Inside the hedge
Once you have shaped the outside of the hedge, your final step is to prune the inside. Make sure you wear gloves as you do so to protect your hands. Use quality manual pruning shears to cut tough branches and the deeper parts of the hedge. By trimming dead branches you are promoting new growth that will give your hedge a more lush appearance.
Every now and then stand back to examine your hedge to check that you are maintaining an even finish. Once you have finished, clean up all the trimmings created throughout the entire process and dispose of them in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.
Need more help?
If you have worked through all of the above steps and are not satisfied with the result of your hedge, consider contacting a garden expert. Practice and patience trimming your hedge will definitely help, however it could be that your hedge trimmer is in need of replacement to a tool better suited to the task.
Contact the garden experts at GYC today to find out about their range of petrol, battery and electric powered hedge trimmers from trusted world class brands.
