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Is it too late to cut hedges?
Bouleversee
Posts: 68
in Talkback
We were let down by our hedge cutters this Autumn and as my husband has been in hospital I haven't found a replacement. Is it too late to do it now this year, assuming I can find anyone to do them (we have various hedges: yew, leylandii, beech, holly) and if not should frosty days be avoided? They were last cut in mid-February but the yew in particular needs doing again.
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Posts
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/plants/is-it-too-cold-to-do-hedge-cutting/564518.html
you might find this recent thread helpful
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks. Will leave it till early Feb. then.
"Look at the Natural England website where it is all set out. Recommended time for cutting hedges is January and February on a three year rotation." I wouldn't like to leave ours for 3 years, especially the cuppressus because that goes brown if you cut it back hard and never recovers and I don't want it getting any taller or wider. I'd really like to have it done twice a year but at £350 a pop I can't afford that. I used to have it done in the Autumn but the last couple of years couldn't get anyone to do it then.I think the Natural England advice refers to native mixed hedgerows
Good luck with yours
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I agree, the Natural England advice is for land owners with native hedges. I wouldn't want to leave some garden hedges a few years.
The thing with a native hedge is if it all goes to pot, it can be cut back hard or even coppiced to ground level and will grow back again (even stronger), so there is no risk in leaving them for a few years and it has lots of benefits for wildlife.
Not the same for some garden ornamental hedges at all, even leylandii has to be kept in check regularly because when cut back hard after a few years of neglect, it won't grow back.
I find they grow too much if you leave them too long. Every other year for most is more than enough. Some, such as thuggish pyracanthas can grow 4-5 ft each year and can quickly become a real problem if left.
The racecourse with which I have an adjoining native (mainly hawthorn) hedge cut it yesterday as they always do at this time of the year, so I expect it's fine to do it now. They use a rather impressive tractor attachment, which they need having several miles of hedges to cut. Think of a 5 foot wide cylindrical lawnmover on the end of a hydraulic arm like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vmFq6K2OJw