Trim deciduous hedges

Deciduous hedges, such as hornbeam and beech, put on a spurt of growth in late summer, and now’s a good time to trim them back to prevent your hedge from becoming straggly. Pruning encourages good, dense growth, which helps keep plants compact and tidy, and promotes growth at the base to prevent your hedge having ‘bare legs’. Use sharp secateurs to prune back each shoot, cutting at an angle next to a bud about two or three leaves above the base. Cut the top and upper sides harder than the base to allow more light to reach the lower leaves. Use a string line or bamboo cane to ensure the top’s level.