How to Trim Hedges in Your Garden

Cutting hedges encourages healthy growth and provides a neat finish to your garden – but it can be hard work! The more you know about how to trim hedges, the easier and quicker it will be, so it’s time to get clued up. 

In this guide you’ll find out the best time to trim hedges, what tools you need, how to carry out the cutting and the best hedge trimmers for different needs. The right one will help you endlessly, so it’s well worth reading up on various types to find out which will suit you best.  

When Is the Best Time to Trim Hedges?

The best time to trim hedges in your garden is between spring and summer. If your hedge is new, prune in winter or early spring to encourage the best possible growth. 

Before carrying out your annual trim, be careful to check for nesting birds, and delay until after nesting season if there are any signs of activity – it’s an offence to damage wild birds’ nests. Nesting season usually occurs between March and August. 

For more tips on how to use your garden to benefit wildlife, read our blog on how to attract wildlife to your garden.

What Tools Do You Need to Trim a Hedge?

To cut your hedge well, you need the right garden tools to take on the task. Make sure you have the following tools to complete the job successfully. 

• Garden hedge cutters. See more on the best ones below.
• Hedge trimming ladders. Avoid holding your hedge trimmers above shoulder level. Make sure you’re trimming safely by standing at the right height. 
• Garden hedge shears. For light trims, these are ideal. 
• Sturdy gloves – to avoid any cuts from sharp branches.
• Safety goggles. These will protect your eyes from any flying debris. 
• Rake – for raking up your cuttings afterwards.
• Wheelbarrow. Use this if you’ll be throwing the clippings onto your compost heap. (If you need a compost bin, check out our range.)

What’s the Best Hedge Trimmer to Buy?

The best hedge trimmer is one that best suits your task, and one that you find comfortable to work with. Consider what you will be cutting – large, mature hedges in an expansive area or easier-to-manage bushes in a smaller garden? Go for a handheld trimmer if your hedge is small; Opt for an electric or petrol trimmer if it’s large and mature as you’ll need extra power. This Einhell 18V Cordless Hedge Trimmer and Pruner is ideal for larger tasks and comes with a handy saw to cut through tough branches. This Draper Petrol Hedge Trimmer is another great choice for tackling large jobs. 

If you can’t quite reach every area, or you can’t get to the other side of your hedge easily, a long reach hedge trimmer will help you take on the task. This Bosch Universal Cordless model is ideal if you want to go cord-free, while this Webb Kawasaki Professional Petrol Long Reach Hedge Trimmer is great for bigger jobs and heavy-duty cutting.

Petrol vs Electric

Electric trimmers are much quieter than petrol and are lightweight at around 2-3kg, making them ideal for small to medium sized gardens. They require no priming or mixing and don’t feature a pull cord to get them going - they usually have a simple push button. They come in corded and cordless varieties.

Petrol varieties have a longer run time and more power than their electric counterparts, making them well suited to larger gardens and more challenging tasks like very large, overgrown hedges. The extra power will help you complete the job more quickly. However, they are noisier and considerably heavier, weighing between 5-7kg before fuel is added.

How to Cut a Garden Hedge 

Cutting a garden hedge can be hard work so it’s important to know exactly what you’re doing before you start. Follow these steps to make your hedge trimming an easier, and safer, affair. 

• If your hedge is very overgrown, it will help to attach some twine to two canes placed either end of the hedge to create a line that can act as a cutting guide. That way, you won’t end up with a wonky hedge! 
• Put on some glasses/goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris, and thick gloves to protect your hands. Tuck in loose clothing and wear sturdy footwear to prevent you from tripping and falling onto the blade, or special safety boots in case of any drops. 
• If growth is light, you might find manual garden hedge shears will do the trick. Otherwise, use a powered garden hedge cutters. Step back every so often when trimming to check you’re giving the hedge an even cut.
• Keep your trimmer blade flat against the hedge with the teeth pointing upwards and downwards – don’t dig into the hedge with the end of the trimmer. 
• Work from the bottom up in arches and leave the bottom very slightly wider than the top so that light can reach all sides more easily. If your hedge is very high, use a long-reach hedge trimmer. Make sure you use ladders for safety if you’re trimming a tall hedge. 
• Rake up your trimmings and either add them to your compost or bag them up for your garden waste collection. 
• Once finished, make sure you keep your hedge trimmer in a safe place and position, where the blade does not pose any danger and the tool cannot get switched on by accident. 

TIP: Ideally, use your trimmer with a residual current device (RCD) and place the cable over your shoulder to avoid cutting it accidentally. Always cut when conditions are dry, not wet.

Now you have all the knowledge you need in your arsenal: you know how to trim hedges, the best time to trim, and what the best tools for the job are. With all this, you can keep your topiaries neat and tidy and your garden looking its best. 

To find the best hedge trimmer to suit your needs, browse our full range to get kitted out for the job.