The Best Time to Prune Your Hedges

Pruning hedges keeps them healthy, tidy, and thick — but timing is everything. Cut at the wrong time and you risk damaging the plant or disturbing nesting birds. Here's what you need to know.

1. When to Prune:

• Formal hedges (Box, Privet, Yew):
  Late spring (May–June) for the first trim, and again in late summer (August–September) to keep the shape.

• Flowering hedges (Forsythia, Lilac):
  Prune just after they’ve finished flowering, so you don’t cut off next year’s blooms.

• Evergreens (Laurel, Leylandii):
  Late spring or early summer before new growth gets too wild.

2. Avoid nesting season

Between March and August, always check for nesting birds before trimming. It’s illegal to disturb active nests, so trim hedges carefully during this time or delay work if needed.

3. Tools Matter

Use clean, sharp shears or hedge trimmers to make neat cuts. Blunt tools can damage branches and invite disease.

4. Don’t Overdo It

A light trim encourages thick, dense growth. Cutting back too far — especially on old wood — may stop some hedges from growing back.