cutting hedges in cold conditions ?

[egs]

well just a quick one,

 

i have a leylanddi hedge to cut. however i have heard if you cut them in -temperatures they will go brown.... is this true?

Edited December 5, 2010 by egs

[skyhuck]

IME, you may get a little yellowing of the cut tip, but nothing more.

[Nic Johnson Contracting]

this is interesting ive been asked to do one and suppose to be doing it tomorrow........

[Dean Lofthouse]

I've always cut them year round, if I cut them in winter I just explain to the customer there's a small risk of the tips browning.

 

Never had a problem yet

[egs]

this is interesting ive been asked to do one and suppose to be doing it tomorrow........

 

snap!!

[Rupe]

They will recover, but its not a great time to do it. I have a few customers that think this is the time of year for trimming hedges. The only reason they think this is because gardeners trim hedges in the winter cos they got nothing else to do. It doesn't mean this is the right time.

 

Hedges would prefer not to be trimmed at all, they would rather be trees, so there is no "right time" to do it. Put them off till summer if you can.

 

Personally I only trim hedges in July August when I've got nothing else to do and I can wear shorts!

[MattJordan]

I done a big one yesterday, i havent noticed it before badly before, i think it comes down to cutting too deep rather than weather conditions. they may play a part but imo if your as sympathetic to the spec as possible, i cant imagine the effects being bad.

[Nic Johnson Contracting]

i personally cut last hedges in november time as the are dormant i cant se a problem the benefit i explain to the customer is that they will not grow again til spring and look good untill early summer certain hedges i cut more often.

 

i find leylandii lasts all year i cut in october november when dormant and leave it till the following year some customers want them cutting in summer but i try and educate them that if i cut it know as if you cut anything its the plants response to shoot and grow again. so if cut in the summer it will need cutting again in autumn. if you leave it in the summer it wont grow a great deal more normally its hit its growth peak and will stay as it is till its dormant. then thats the time to cut it.

 

for privet and hawthorn to keep them tidy and easier to cut i suggest regular cut 3 to 4 a year, and each time is relatively easy. some gardens i go to insist on trimming there hawthorn hedge every few weeks and it takes seconds

[John Hancock]

Been doing one last week in a play area, it was below freezing all week - will be interesting to see it come next summer...

[Dean Lofthouse]

I find they "brown" more if cut in hot weather.

 

Leylandii probably make up 50% of most peoples work, so in reality, unless you are well off you will have no choice but to trim all year round