Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

New Hornbeam Hedge Pruning

rza20rza20 Posts: 6
in Plants

Good Morning,

Looking for some good advice about my new hornbeam hedge, I'm sure its been asked before so forgive me.

Planted bare root 125-150cm plants in double staggered row, at the back end of last year. And have not yet done any formative pruning to them.

What is the best way to ensure a good bushy thick hedge and to give it the best start I can when pruning?

Should it have been pruned on planting?

Is it ok do prune now (April/May)?

Should I prune side shoots, and the leaders?

I have read a lot of stuff on the internet, which just confuses me a little and then I do nothing.

Thanks hopefully for a brilliant answer.

Joe

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hi @rza20 - they should have been nipped back on planting, but not to worry.
    This is why it's also a waste of money buying bigger plants.  ;)
    I'd be inclined to leave them for a little while, and - assuming they're establishing well, you could give them a trim in June or so. It's difficult to be exact without seeing them though. I doubt you'd need to bother about pruning anything but the tops, as it's a staggered row. Plenty of water and they'll grow and fill out well in a couple of years.

    Nice choice - my favourite hedge  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • rza20rza20 Posts: 6

    Thanks for the reply, I couldn't decide on planting whether to prune. I was too scared.

    They are full of life now, but there is a lot of straggly growth that is looking like it was pruning and shaping?

    Should I prune the top leaders before it gets to its final height?

    There's not much growth low down, should I be worried? Don't want a bottomless hedge.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I wouldn't worry too much about lower down - you can 'prune' it once you get to the stage of using a hedgetrimmer on it  ;)
    They usually fill out quite well through their full size anyway, assuming they have good conditions to grow in etc. 
    You can take a foot or so off the height which will help it bush out, and yes - they've probably been trimmed to shape if they're that height. If you feel they're doing well just now, you can certainly trim back.
    I always buy hedging at around 3 feet [ 90 cm] as it establishes and grows better.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sign In or Register to comment.