Prune your Beech hedge in late Summer or early Autumn, to ensure brown leaves remain on your hedge providing Winter coverage. The first 2 years are crucial for a good hedge to develop so in weeks of little rainfall you really must water it. After this, the trimming will be done on a biennial basis to increase the hedge's environmental value. Remember to keep a young Beech hedge well watered in its formative years. Pruning A Beech Hedgerow: Best Time To Prune Beech Hedge. You may repeat the process for a third year, but you don’t have to. Overgrown broadleaf hedges (e.g. Your beech hedge will look tidier and grow thicker if you prune the plant in the end of summer or early autumn. If you are making drastic changes, feed and mulch in the spring, then cut one side the following winter. They are currently about 7-8 feet tall, which is a little taller than we would like. Expert insight into the best time to prune a beech tree; why beech tree pruning is important, and how to identify common beech tree diseases. It is a sturdy plant that can be shaped into medium height hedges – 6 to 9 feet – within a few years and is hardy enough to survive moderate climates. Privet. Looking up, the new growth can be seen growing wildly above the trimmed lower section. By Monty Don for MailOnline Updated: 17:00 EST, 21 August 2009 Beech leaves turn brown in autumn but are retained for winter months. Why and when to prune hedges. Beech Hedge. The best time to prune a beech tree depends on the stage of maturity the tree is at and the desired end use of the tree. Q. Beech Hedge Cutting - I have a beech hedge running along one of my boundaries. Beech hedge trimming is carried out in early June to keep the hedge bushy. And again in early august to help produce a flush of new leaves. Laurel Hedge. If the hedge has become unruly, hard pruning can be carried out in February whilst the plant is dormant, unless the weather is very cold. This time, instead of cutting just the top growth, cut on the side shoots. Messages 396. Keep in mind that pruning is a process where you are damaging the plant. This time you may be able to prune it three times during the year. ), hardy in USDA zones 6 through 8, require cutting back for size and shape in early to mid spring. When to Prune a Beech Tree. Prune your Beech hedge in late Summer or early Autumn, to ensure brown leaves remain on your hedge providing Winter coverage. In the second year of growth and beyond, annual hedge trimming should begin.Frequency and intensity will depend on the hedge type. Evergreen hedges, such as boxwood (Buxus spp. Do this is mid-winter for deciduous hedges and in spring for evergreens. We planted a row of 7 beech hedges, 7 years ago. This watering can be made easy if you take the time to set up a drip irrigation pipe when planting. Just be sure to do it in December/January when you have a frost free window of at least 48 hours. Pruning tasks should begin at the time of transplanting and then perform annual maintenance pruning. This enhances its winter appearance and makes beech hedging suitable as a year-round hedge screen. Cutting Back Young Beech Hedge Plants . Tackle any major pruning as the plants go dormant and don’t prune in very dry weather. In respect to this, can you cut a beech hedge in November? When to Prune Beech Hedge. By year ten, the hedge will have reached its final height of approx. My neighbour has advised us to cut back in June & October, but now would also be good I think, and maybe not too drastic all in one go, as your gut feeling already tells you - one golden rule is to avoid pruning hedges during birds' nesting season, so if you do the first haircut straight away you'll be safe on that count. Beech hedges are usually maintenance pruned in September getting a little re growth before winter when it can be formative pruned into shape. Someone mentioned that it needs cutting back in order to thicken or 'stool' it i.e. Janet - you are right - Beech is Fagus sylvatica. Any advise please I want the hedge to grow about 5 feet and be thick, we've off set planted them Thank Kirsty But cut beech and hornbeam no later than mid-July if you want to enjoy the persistent winter leaves, as the resulting new growth needs time to get established. These … Advertisement. These will decorate the hedge throughout winter. On the hornbeam, the leaves are actually smaller and more deeply furrowed than beech leaves. If you are wanting to keep the leaves over Winter, best to prune the hedge when dormant i.e. Cut off the top and one side in one winter, leaving the other side for the next winter. This Beech hedge is approximately two and a half years old and approx.2ft 6 inches high. European Beech (Fagus Sylvatica) is a classic hedge choice that has been used to create beautiful hedges for thousands of years. SKU: HBH-1802-080 Category: Hedges. The secret to raising big, beautiful, bushy hedges is knowing when to prune them, says Monty Don. What Colour Is A Beech Hedge? It is also possible to trim one side one year and leave the other side until the following year. Of course we would like them to grow together more like a privacy screen. Don’t be afraid to cut the hedge back fairly hard as this will help it grow thick and dense. It is recommended that if you are looking to give your established Beech hedge a hard cut-back, that this is best done in February time so that it has the growing season of both Spring and Summertime to repair. Prune your hedge every year. If the hedge has become unruly, hard pruning can be carried out in February whilst the plant is dormant, unless the weather is very cold. Using Japanese Okatsune shears specially made for trimming hedges, Pasang is able to prune the hornbeams so they are nice and flat. Repeat the pruning process again. Just been out to do this and it looks like a lot to cut off. Sophie.e.solly Posts: 12. When to prune. get side shoots to grow in order to thicken it. Beech hedge plants are a favourite in UK gardens and are one of the UK’s most well-known hedging varieties. before March. Hope Grove Nurseries grow both green beech hedging and purple beech hedges in a massive range of sizes. When can you prune a beech hedge? A well-maintained hedge provides a good, smart boundary to a garden, but if left unchecked, a hedge can soon lose its shape and end up casting unwanted shade. In Spring give the plants a boost with a little quick release fertiser like Growmore. If you mean a beech hedge then August in the Northern Hemispere is best. Your hedge will be fine. We have a long beech hedge too. Add to cart. If it is a tree there should be no need to prune it other than to shape it and you can do this at any time. When the tree is intended to be part of a hedge, the best time to prune it is in mid-June. Categories; Discussions; Sign in; Forum home › Problem solving. Prune the beech hedge again during the second year. This will encourage more growth, and more stems to form on the sides of the beech tree. Deciduous hedges such as hawthorn and hazel can be trimmed between June and September. The hedge is shaped in an 'A' and as the hedge is still young, two passes will achieve this. Slow-growing hedges (like Emerald Green Arborvitae) may only need a trim once every 2-3 years, while fast-growing hedges (like Green Giant Arborvitae or laurels) may need 2 trims per year, especially if they are intended to be a compact, formal hedge. Beech hedge plants can form dense hedges that are easily maintained and only need pruning once annually. This means that it is best to prune at the beginning of spring, just before the first shoots occur. Generally, these hedges are best trimmed right before they break dormancy in late winter or early spring. On my neighbor's side, it is only about 0.… Q. 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