Trimming hedges keep the compound beautiful and give spaces a sense of proportion. However, you must do it at the right time. Inappropriate pruning at the wrong season can make shrubs susceptible to diseases, damage, and unsightly bare spots as they struggle to rebound. The best time to trim your hedges will be based on whether they are deciduous, evergreen, or coniferous.
When To Trim Hedges
Let’s look at the prime pruning windows in this region, which help maintain the health and attractiveness of different hedge varieties year-round.
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Deciduous Shrub Hedges
For example, viburnum, privet, or ninebark are leaf shedders and should have any heavy pruning done before spring break in late winter, during which period they are dormant. This timing occurs when plants’ energy levels are low, thus allowing up to a third of aged growths to be safely removed without strain.
Once your hedges begin developing leaves in spring, you only need to shape them through shearing lightly. The exception is immediately after the hedge’s flowering period in early summer – you can follow up with another pruning then to resume the hedge’s tidy form.
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Evergreen Hedges
Boxwood yew holly-type evergreen hedges should be pruned when they show active growth, especially from spring through early summer. Since these plants never fully shut down like deciduous hedges, trimming when vigorously growing allows pruning wounds to heal quickly with lush, dense regrowth.
More formal hedges may require frequent light trimming every 4-6 weeks to maintain crisp lines and forms. However, any heavy cutting must be completed two months before the first frost is expected for your zone. This hardening-off period is critical for the new growth’s winter survival.
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Conifer Hedges
All other evergreens prefer heavier pruning during late winter/spring, but Juniper and Arborvitae conifer hedges are an exception. Their optimal heavy pruning period is in late winter through early spring before new growth emerges. This timing allows wounds to heal before they actively push out new foliage.
As the new growth extends, you can follow up with lighter shearing and shaping in late spring through mid-summer. But you’ll still want to avoid significant hedge trimming past mid-summer to allow ample hardening off before cold weather arrives.
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Rejuvenate Your Hedges
Sometimes, a drastic rejuvenation pruning is required when your hedges become overwhelmingly huge. They should be cut down to between 6 and 12 inches from the ground, forcing better growth in the coming season.
However, this intensive hedge trimming should only be performed in late winter or early spring before bud break. This trimming may unduly weaken a plant that would hardly sprout again if done during the active growing season.
Off-Limits Pruning Times
While proper timing is essential, there are periods when you’ll want to avoid any significant hedge pruning altogether. This includes late summer through fall, when shrubs are prepping for dormancy, and early winter before they’re fully dormant.
Pruning during these transition periods can expose plants to cold damage on any new growth that’s prompted but unable to harden off sufficiently before winter extremes.
The best advice is to examine your hedge types and growth patterns closely. If you prune during their prime seasonal windows, you’ll be rewarded with lush, healthy, vibrant hedges that enhance your landscape’s look. Contact us to learn more.
