Rejuvenating hedges

Golden privet that has overtaken half the path in Barnes

Revealed the lovely tiled path and now much easier to open the gate fully.

Spring is the perfect time of year for rejuvenating hedges.

When we rejuvenate shrubs we are affectively giving a very hard prune to get them back into shape.

We normally do this because they are overgrown or sick plants. They may have bare spots, start to lean over or just lose their shape. Yew can become thick in spots on the top with hard old wood and this may require thinning out. A hedge may gain an inch or two per year in each direction. and suddenly be half way across the path.

The earlier in the year the better for deciduous plants affording maximum time for growth in the coming months. Winter is ok for many of them.

Evergreens should be done around April-May. That’s to help prevent them having the new growth burnt by frost.

Normally we advise pruning after flowering , however, sometimes this is not possible. Sometimes it best just to get it done. If, for example, it is over a public highway.

When pruning back hard it is best to understand how the plant will grow back. Conifers will not grow back if cut into old wood. Plants like privet and yew will take very hard pruning.

To form a hedge this may require pruning to layers, or different heights, to allow an even vertical coverage of growth.

To prune the hedge featured to a professional standard would take around 2 hours for the one side.

If a lot of rejuvenation is required it will be best to do one side of a hedge this year. The next year do the other. The top may be done the year after.

You may or may not need to feed your shrub after pruning. This will depend largely on how well it has been growing in previous years. Now they have been hard pruned the root system will be pulling up as much energy for a smaller plant and may well put on a lot of sudden growth.

Hedge plants that take hard pruning are: privet, yew, viburnum tinus, pittosporum, laurels.

Plants that don’t are: conifers, rosemary, most lavender.

#hedges #rejuvenating #rejuvenation #privet