HEDGES need to be pruned for maintenance each summer to keep them looking neat and healthy, but what's the best way to do it? Here's the most efficient method to use to prune your garden hedges.

Trimming hedges at the wrong time can do more harm than good. Ahead, experts share the best and worst times to trim hedges to ensure yours stays healthy and defined.

Cutting back tree and hedge growth keeps plants healthy, fosters growth and makes for a more attractive landscape. To get the best results, you should first understand the whys, whens and hows of ...

Proper pruning also helps hedges provide the denseness and privacy you expect, and keep fast-growing hedges at the right length, and prevent damage from winter storms.

An established hedge quickly re-establishes when cut back hard, but it is really a waste of its height and it takes extra time to re-grow, so hedges are usually only cut back part-way.

CONIFER hedges have had a bad press over the years but if you trim them several times during the growing season you can avoid the risk of a leylandii war with your next-door neighbour.

The best time to trim hedges is late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. Pruning during this time helps maintain hedge shape and health without risking damage from cold weather.