Hedge Trimming & Pruning

Name: Hedge Trimming
Brand: BC Mowing & More
Rating: 5 (450 reviews)

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The #1 rated & reviewed lawn care, gardening and landscape services provider in North America

“I got the number of this company from a trailer on the way to work. I called with low expectations as we rarely have had any luck with landscapers/ yard maintenance people in the past. Finding Dave at BC Mowing & More has been amazing. Fast service, accurate detailed quotes and a great guy to deal with. Good price, good reliable service from a nice guy. Highly recommend this company!”

Scotty RobbVancouver Island

“We have used BC Mowing & More for several years now. Stu, Connor and Gareth all provide outstanding service and very fair prices. This year besides cutting the grass and general care of our lawns they also helped us with some landscaping. Our gardens now look spectacular thanks to BC Mowing & More fine work.”

Jim MacLean CruickshankNorth Vancouver

“I have been using BC Mowing & More for many years and have always been extremely happy with their service. Today my roommates and I were absolutely blown away by the AMAZING job Daniel & Brooklyn did clearing away a spectacular amount leaves from the flower beds, lawn and curb. Perfection! We highly recommend Peter and his Team.”

Tina - Mary - JimVancouver

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Here in British Columbia, hedges grow beautifully and offer plenty of privacy! Whether you’re designing a new outdoor space or you’re looking to refresh your current look, hedges are a beautiful accent that will improve privacy while raising the aesthetic and property value of your home. That being said, it can also be challenging to maintain and care for for hedges, especially cedars.

After only a couple of years of neglect, cedar hedges can become an eyesore and can require a lot of trimming and remediation work. Cedar hedges are particularly vulnerable to overgrowth, and can only ever be trimmed back 4″ to 6″. Once they become overgrown, trimming is no longer an option, the plants have to be left at that larger size, or removed.

Cedar hedges can also develop disease that spreads if infected limbs aren’t removed, and the inside of the hedge can die if not enough light reaches the core. Cedar hedges can brown or yellow, or could lose shape and become uneven. Some cedar hedges can get so overgrown that it will take multiple trimmings and years to bring them back to shape (if at all).

So in order to protect your investment on a new hedge, or to keep your hedge happy and healthy, you’ll want to get into the routine of having your hedge trimmed once or twice a year. Whether you do it yourself or have a BC Mowing and More! professional here in British Columbia save you the time, don’t let your hedge maintenance get ahead of you.

When to Hedge Trim in?

Non-flowering hedges like Laurel hedges and Cedar hedges should be trimmed twice per year, but Cedars should only be trimmed as much as needed depending on their growth (but never more than 4″ to 6″), while Laurel hedges can be trimmed as little or as much as desired. Although it is quite difficult to damage a Laurel hedge by trimming it, Cedar hedges are quite fragile, especially in the heat of summer.

If you live in British-Columbia with lots of rain where Cedar and Laurel hedges grow quickly, you’ll want to trim them more frequently to keep their shape. Typically, this averages out to a hedge trimming at least twice a year, especially in British-Columbia. Once Cedar edges have lost shape or become too large and overgrown, they cannot be brought back to their original size and shape.

For flowering hedges in British-Columbia, you’ll want to get the hedge trimming done less frequently, probably only once per year. Trimming will depend on when the flowering hedges bloom. If your hedges bloom in the Spring, wait until the Summer after they’ve fully bloomed. (Why would you want to trim before it flowers anyway?) If your hedges bloom in the Summer, then you can do the hedge trimming in the Fall after they bloom or in the Spring as the growing season commences – just be sure to not trim not right before bloom.

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Do it yourself? How to trim a hedge:

In British-Columbia, most contractors use gas or electric powered hedge trimmers with adjustable arms in order to be able to reach those tough to get spaces and get the job done properly. Accidents can happen, even with smaller hedge trimmers, and especially with ladders, so if you decide to do this yourself, don’t. Always work in tandem with a helper to hold your ladder and help with tools, and always keep a first aid kit nearby. You should also always collapse or sheath the blades every time you put the hedge trimmer down, and make sure there’s help close by in the unlikely event that something more severe goes wrong.

Once you’ve selected the type of hedge trimmer you will use, it’s time to start trimming your hedges. For easy cleanup, set a tarp underneath your hedge so that the trimmings fall directly onto it. You can then transfer the green waste from the tarp to your compost bin which should save you some time raking up.

You’ll want to start from the bottom and slowly move your hedge trimmer to the top, getting slightly thinner as you go. Let the machine do the work – the motion of the hedge trimmer doesn’t cut the hedge, the blades do.

Especially with Cedar Hedges, make sure you don’t go too deep on the first pass because you might do irreparable damage. Cedar hedges should never be trimmed back more than 4″ to 6″ (and never into the inner browner leaves of the plant). Methodically cut back several inches at a time until you reach your desired depth. Take frequent breaks to step back and observe your work. It can be easy to get carried away and keep cutting, only to step back and see that you’ve now cut one side much deeper than the other.

After each pass, you’ll either want to use your hand or a rake to lightly brush off any lingering debris. This will not only give you a better idea of what you have missed with the hedge trimmer, but it will make sure you don’t forget dead branches in your hedge that will lead to dead spots later. You’d be surprised at the damage that forgotten rotting foliage can cause.

Topping your hedges can be difficult depending on its size. Smaller box hedges can be done with small hedge trimmers since they typically aren’t that tall, but bigger laurel hedges and cedar hedges like those in British-Columbia can grow into tall privacy screens if you let them. An adjustable hedge trimmer can help if the height isn’t out of control, but for hedges taller than 6’-8’, we would recommend calling a professional. You can hold your hedge trimmer at the desired angle at the top and move back and forth until you get the desired shape.

Some hedges, like cedar hedges, are more vulnerable to being shocked, so you’ll want to be careful to not be too aggressive with your cuts.

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Light Distribution!

The reason you always want to make the top thinner is for the distribution of light. Here in British-Columbia, the rain clouds often reduce the amount of light our hedges receive. Having the top of your hedge trimmed slightly thinner will allow for sunlight to reach more areas of your hedge, causing it to grow stronger. Even if you’re looking for a straighter edge, you’ll still want a slight gradient inwards towards the top.

Other techniques for improving the distribution of light include hand pruning. Use a hand pruning tool to systematically cut spaces for light throughout your hedge. Without doing this, the buds become too thick on the outside and block light from reaching the inside, and this will lead to the inside looking brown, decayed and dead, a common problem in British-Columbia.

Sometimes in the worst cases of neglect, more extreme measures will need to be taken, like removing up to a third of the thickest stems at the base of your hedge, please consult a professional before doing so.

With some practice and a bit of know-how (Youtube is a great resource for do-it-yourself videos), hedge trimming is relaxing to do, but you’ll need the right equipment, some safety measures, and time and energy. Regular hedge trimming is necessary in maintaining the health and shape of your hedges. Not only do nice hedges increase your property value, they also gives you the satisfaction of returning home to a beautiful private yard with a nicely maintained hedge.

We here at BC Mowing and More! in British-Columbia know that a modern schedule can often be too busy for even some of the simplest chores, and we are always happy to help you achieve a beautiful lawn and garden. We come with expertise and the proper top of the line equipment so if you’re not quite ready to do this yourself, give us a call us at 1-833-999-5467 and we’ll be more than happy to come to your home and give you a free quote on hedge trimming, or any of your other lawn care, gardening, or landscaping.

“Patrick and his team are great! Response times are very quick, pricing is reasonable and they are efficient and tidy. Very pleased with their service.”

Amalea SutedjoNew Westminster

“Jim’s shows up on a regular basis throughout the lawn-growing season. They are always prompt, quick, efficient and friendly. All for a reasonable price too. My nephew said he’ll cut my lawn for free. I said No thanks! I use BC Mowing & More because they’re the best!”

Jim DianaBurnaby

“Amazing service! I’ve tried 3 others in town and by FAR this was the best. VERY responsive and friend and professional. Came did the job and sent invoice..quick easy contactless payment. Great business to work with. Highly recommend!”

Jessica RybijNanaimo

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