It's that time of year again, as autumn grows closer gardeners around the country are gearing up for that all essential end of year garden clean up. Hedge cutting can be hard work especially if the weather is nice, but it is extremely rewarding to see the results when you have finished.
Before you start
Before you start cutting in is imperative that you have the right hedge trimmer for the job. If you intend to do a lot of work or use the hedge trimmer on a regular basis, push the boat out and buy a quality make, Preferably a Petrol powered hedge trimmer. If you are only using your trimmer a few times a year I would recommend you go with the electric Trimmers, as they are cheaper and less expensive to fix if anything goes wrong.
Eye Protection can be useful because of the amount of sharp debris that can be thrown out of the machine.
Trimming Your Hedge
First start by trimming the sides of the hedge, the depth of the cut is dependent on your requirements and type of hedge. Once you have cut the sides it's time to trim the top, its always best if you can avoid leaning into the hedge it can damage the shape. If you are forced to lean into a difficult hedge then the T-board method is great. There are many aluminium towers or ladders available that will suit people's needs.
When you are cutting, seep the blades from right to left holding your left hand close to you, As you sweep the cuttings will fall straight of the hedge. A broom May also be useful to sweep the cuttings from the top of the hedge. When you think you have cut your hedge well on the sides and top, take a garden rake and gently tap and push the hedge. Some of the long branches can be bent into the hedge, when they spring out cut them off, this way you will avoid the hedge looking unsightly after a couple of days if the twigs were to have sprung out on their own.
Keep a pair of secateurs handy for trimming of any stubborn twigs of brambles. If you encounter a pernicious stem growing through your hedge it will be extremely difficult if not impossible to get to the root so trimming will be necessary.
Have plenty of heavy duty Bag's available for the foliage, I am always shocked how many Bags I fill just cutting hedges.
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