Trimming your bushes is beneficial for regrowth

Hedges and Trimming in the Late Summer

By the time the end of August rolls around it’s time to look at trimming down your hedges. They really won’t continue to grow enough to make any additional trimming necessary as the fall rolls around. The one possible exception would be conifers; conifers may need an additional trim later in the year.

One serious challenge to trimming a bush or a hedge is getting the top straight. It can lead to trimming the hedge shorter and shorter in an effort to make it even Personally, I have made this mistake and ended up with very short, very ugly bushes. Instead of guessing, set up posts at opposite ends and tie twine between them at the desired height. Start with the sides and work your way up. If you start working at the bottom the trimmings will fall directly down. If you start at the top and work down, the trimmings may get caught in the lower branches and give you a false idea of how much and what you are trimming.

It’s tempting to make the top wider than the bottom, but this literally opens your hedges up to weather damage. If the hedge is wider at the bottom than the top it will stand up to any weather Mother Nature throws at it better. Finally, use the twine as a guide and trim along the top.

While you can use shears or powered hedge trimmers on most hedges you need to avoid using either implement on large-leaved hedges. Both shears and powered trimmers will cut through the larger leaves which turns them brown. These hedges must be done with a pair of pruners. It is a difficult and time-consuming task, but your hedges will thank you.

Naturally, you can avoid all the hassle of trimming your hedges and bushes altogether by giving the landscape professionals at R&S Lawn Service a call today. They would be happy to work with you to get your hedges in their best shape!