Coniferous hedges are a phenomenally practical part of any landscaping architecture. Relatively inexpensive to purchase, they are easy to transplant, grow rapidly, provide excellent privacy, protect from the wind, provide noise reduction, grow in a wide range of soils, provide excellent backdrops for flowers, replace the need for a fence, and when properly planted and nurtured, have excellent longevity (30 – 60 years) with minimal maintenance!Consisting of evergreens planted tightly in single rows, the most beautiful hedges are often of the cedar variety, however informal deciduous hedges, consisting of flowering shrubs like the pink spirea, weigela, potentillas, and lilacs or rosebushes are also popular.
One of the most versatile, resilient and robust evergreens in Canada, the Ontario White Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) or ‘hedging cedar’ lends itself well to trimming. The key to proper maintenance of this type of a hedge however, lies in your knowledge of how it grows and the importance of establishing a dense growth habit early in its life.
Best Time to Trim
During your hedge’s first year of life, it will expel most of its energy establishing its root system in its new environment. As such, it is not recommended to trim your hedge during this period. After one full year has passed however, your hedge will have taken root, and snipping the very tops of the individual trees in the hedge will encourage side growth while still allowing the hedge to gain height. During year one your hedge may only grow 1 -1 ½ feet in height, but by year three, once the root system is firmly established, you can expect up to 3 feet of new growth a year, which will require you to initiate an annual or even bi-annual trimming program. While the growing season for cedars typically runs from mid-Summer to late Fall (depending upon moisture levels in the ground and extremities of temperature), trimming during this timeframe is ideal as it sets the hedge’s shape, yet still allows the hedge to benefit from a slight ‘filling in’ of its foliage before the winter hits.
Shaping and Proper Trimming Practise
Shearing of juvenile hedges in mid-Summer and again in late Fall encourages growth of side shoots which allows the individual trees in your hedge to grow toward one another, creating a lush, solid hedge. To maximize side growth branches at the top of the hedge get cut shorter than those at the bottom, allowing even exposure of all branches to sunlight. By shaping the bottom of the hedge wider than the top, growth at the base of your hedge is maintained, keeping it looking thick and healthy and allowing it to shed snow more effectively in the winter. Hedges with thin or ‘see through’ bases occur when this practice is not followed.
If your hedge has been ignored for several years you can still bring it under control by removing up to 1/3 of its foliage each year until it looks the way you want it to. Again, tapered pruning is essential to help any sunlight starved bald spots at the base regain growth. The best tool for pruning is a simple set of sharp shears or a hedge trimmer. Although gas types are the most powerful, electric and rechargeable battery powered hedge trimmers can be useful for small hedges, bearing in mind that electric models are limited by the length of their cords, and rechargeable models limited by the duration of their charge (usually about 25 minutes).
Ideal Hedge Height
Determining the ideal height of your hedge is important and the best way to do this is to identify what you would like your hedge to cover. As a privacy fence, the most popular size hedge is one that is 4 – 5 feet in height, or the same height as a chain link fence. If your intention is to conceal a 7-foot high fence however, your hedge would need to be maintained at this height.
Feeding and Watering
Whatever height you set to maintain your hedge at, it will require proper feeding. This should occur prior to the commencement of its growth cycle in early Spring, after trimmings, and in late Fall so that life sustaining nutrients get delivered to its root system before going into dormancy for the winter months. Ideally, the best fertilizer for cedar hedges is bloodmeal (high in nitrogen), sheep manure and/or Miracle Gro. (Be sure to follow label directions closely).
The final component in a well-balanced hedge maintenance program, is water and mulch. Sun tends to dry out the base of cedars, so applying cedar mulch around the base of your hedge, coupled with regular watering, will help maintain soil moisture assuring proper rooting and growth. Apart from providing excellent water retention, cedar mulch is also an effective barrier against weeds which, left uncontrolled, will steal essential water and nutrients from the roots of your hedge.
During their first year of life, your cedars should be watered every evening for a period of 30-45 minutes with a soaker hose on a timer. (A gentle hose setting will prevent soil erosion and ensure equal coverage for all trees.) After this first year, water should continue to be applied during the evening at a saturation rate that will keep the soil moist at all times. During dry summer periods or in the Fall (prior to the ground freezing) extra water should be given to your cedars to help them weather drought and store water for the long winter months. Yes, whichever way you measure it, cedars require a lot of water and without it they will decline rapidly. So, don’t be shy. You can never over-water your hedge!
Regardless of whether you have a boxwood, cedar or flowering shrub hedge, Kodiak can help you trim and maintain it. Feel free to call us at any time for more information or to get a free, no-obligation quote.
