How to Look After Your Hedges

Hedges are a valuable addition to your garden or outdoor space; they can provide extra privacy, separate different areas of the garden and protect flowering plants from pests and insects. Hedges are pretty resilient, but it’s important to provide the right care to help them flourish and stay healthy.

It’s easy for hedges to become overlooked when it comes to general garden maintenance but understanding how to look after your hedge will make things much easier in the long run. If you’ve been thinking about adding a hedge to your outdoor space or need some advice to care for your existing hedges, read on for our top tips.

Weed prevention

Hedges need plenty of space, light and moisture to flourish, but weeds can steal valuable space and nutrients which affects a hedge's growth. Regularly check your hedge beds for weeds and remove them by hand using protective gloves. You can also add organic mulch to help kill weeds and enrich the soil.

Cutting back

Hedges require regular trimming or pruning to keep them healthy and looking neat. Each hedge will have different requirements depending on the look you’re trying to achieve; do you want a neat formal shape, or a rustic hedge that’s simply kept out of the way of paths? It’s best to trim your hedge during the growing season (between May and September) and formal hedge species may need two or three trims in this short window.

If you have a large number of hedges or want a specific shape, it’s worth investing in a professional tree surgery service to cut back hedges on your behalf.

Watering your hedges

Hedges can dry out during the warmer, dryer months so they may require some additional watering (especially during the first two years of growth). If you want to save time in the long term, an irrigation system is the best, most effective way to water your hedges. If this isn’t possible, water hedges by hand in the evening so they can make the most of the damp soil overnight.

Shaping

Proper shaping encourages healthy growth of your hedge and you should always bear the final shape in mind when trimming or pruning. Hedges should be left wider at the bottom to allow sunlight to hit each area, otherwise parts of your hedge can turn brown and die. It’s also a good idea to taper your hedge slightly at the top, but it’s best to arrange for a professional tree surgeon to do this for you.

If you’re looking for professional hedge cutting and trimming services in Linlithgow, Livingston and West Lothian, get in touch with the experts at Ace Tree Surgeons. We’re proud to offer a full range of hedge services to keep your gardens and grounds looking their best, including trimming, pruning, topiary cutting, removal of overgrowth and shaping. We work in accordance with the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 to protect all nesting birds and eggs, so you can be confident that our services won’t harm any wildlife. For more information about our hedge trimming or additional tree surgery services, give us a call today or contact us via the website.