Hedge trimming advice with Henchman

Hedges are an excellent way of creating a barrier or boundary while introducing more greenery to the garden.

As well as looking attractive, they also offer practical benefits such as adding privacy, protecting properties from wind and reducing noise, while providing extra food and shelter for wildlife. They’re also often much more affordable than installing a new fence and are generally low maintenance. As they stay green and vibrant all year round, they can even add value to your home – so hedges are most certainly a good thing!

There are lots of different techniques for trimming hedges, but your style of hedge trimming will depend on the type of shrub that makes up your hedge and the stage your hedge is at. Popular varieties include English Yew, Privet, Beech and Box, as these evergreens have dense foliage for high “curb appeal.” Ultimately, though, the type of shrub you choose is down to you!

How to trim your hedge

Maintenance trimming, as opposed to a more vigorous approach that might be required for tasks like topiary, is the best method for hedges that are already established, and only needs to be done two or three times a year.

As you’ll already have a well-formed hedge shape to start with, maintaining the hedge mainly involves clipping the hedge back so it tapers in size towards the top of the hedge. This is because hedges naturally grow into a V shape over time.

The reason that this happens is that the top part of the hedge receives more sunlight than the bottom, meaning the top grows and widens faster. In turn, this causes shade to prevent sunlight from reaching the bottom of the hedge resulting in the lower sections producing less foliage and becoming narrower.

To counteract this, follow these three golden rules for trimming:

• Trim the hedge so that the base is wider than the top
• Always start trimming the hedge from the bottom up
• Avoid removing branches that make the skeleton of the tree.

Make sure you have the right tools

As with any gardening task, it’s important to have the correct tools to set you up for success, so make sure you have everything you need before you begin.

Use a specialist garden ladder when trimming or pruning, such as Henchman’s Fully Adjustable Tripod Ladder, which will keep you safe when working at height, even on uneven terrain, and will provide you with enough support and space to move comfortably. Ranging from 5ft through to 16ft in the PRO range, each leg is independently adjustable to accommodate substantial sloping, uneven earth, and steps, and they offer a generous platform surface, so that working hands-free is no problem.

Of course, it is also essential that your shears are sharp and clean for quick and effective cutting, and you should always wear a pair of gloves with good grip to make handling tools easier. We recommend the ARS KR-1000 hedge shears, as they are lightweight and offer shock absorption to make trimming hedges comfortable and enjoyable, and Henchman’s Gardening Gloves for a snug yet flexible fit. You might also want a ground sheet and a large-capacity wheelbarrow, like the Henchman 350 Wheelbarrow, to make tidying up afterward easy!

For more hedge trimming advice and to browse Henchman’s range of fully adjustable tripod ladders and accessories, visit www.henchman.co.uk

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