SolveYourProblem
Hedges Article Series
I
Want To Create
The Perfect Hedge
Hedge
Maintenance Mistakes
Hedges make a lovely addition to most garden
spaces. Some hedges are better suited to decoration, while
others serve very important practical purposes. For example,
a hedge can be an excellent way to secure your property if
you are not interested in installing fencing. Hedges, like
fences, can also serve as privacy screens from noisy neighbors
(not that your neighborhood has any of those!).
Though they serve many purposes, hedges do require maintenance.
They are not for people who don’t have time to care for them
– so if your schedule is already jam-packed hedges might not
be the best option.
If you do decide to go forward with planting hedges or if
you already have some hedges that need a little TLC, here are
a few suggestions of things you can do to avoid common hedge
hacking mistakes.
Pick the Right Kind of Hedge for Your Space and Needs
There are different kinds of hedges so you’ll need to figure
out which is best for your space and for your needs. Your local
garden center should have a good selection of hedge plants
that will thrive in your area and should be able to offer helpful
suggestions when choosing the right hedge for your garden.
Preparation
As with most things, the key to pruning your hedges is preparation.
If you take some time to educate yourself on proper pruning
techniques, you will save yourself a lot of time and hassle
down the line – not to mention how much better your hedges
will look as a result of your careful preparation.
Invest in a Good Hedge Trimmer
You need the proper tools to do the job properly.
Being prepared and having the right tools are two very
important steps, though far too many people are content to
skip over these and
get right onto the trimming. There are many good hedge trimmers
on the market today. You will need to assess your needs to
pick the best kind of trimmer for your garden. If you have
a lot of trimming that needs to be done on a regular basis,
you might consider investing in an electric hedge trimmer to
decrease the strain on your body and your time.
Your Hedge Shouldn’t Be Straight (From the Bottom to the Top
that is)
Even though you may want your hedges to look straight, you
don’t really want to trim in a straight line from the bottom
to the top. What you want to aim for rather is a wider base
and narrower top. Gardeners often refer to this shape as an
inverted keystone. What is the reasoning behind this shape?
You want to make sure that enough sunlight reaches the bottom
of the hedge and this type of shape ensures that.
Measure, Measure, Measure!
Though you don’t want your hedges to be a straight up and
down wall, you do want the final product to appear straight
and even. How do you achieve this? Again, it all rests in the
preparation. If you put the work into measuring and marking
out your design before you begin cutting, you will end up with
a much better looking hedge than simply eyeballing it. You
want to use a tape measure to place guides exactly where you
want the cuts to be. This part of the process may seem time
consuming, but on the bright side the actual trimming will
fly by and will be worry free thanks to the time you put into
the planning stages.
Don’t Over Trim!
If you make a wrong cut, it’s not the end of the world – but
if you try too hard to fix it, it might be the end of your
hedge. A lot of people, when making a mistake will overcompensate
by moving away from their plan and making more cuts than intended
to match the mistaken side. Take a deep breath, step away and
see if there is a way to match the other side. If there is,
then trying adjusting your guides. If there isn’t any easy
fix for the problem, then just leave well enough alone. The
hedge will always grow back. If you are too hasty while trying
to fix the problem, you most likely will end up with an eyesore.
