Although most foliage grows dormant in the winter, there are a number of things that you can do to keep your outdoor greenery looking amazing year-round. This is certainly the case if you are the proud owner of new or existing hedges. Following is everything you need to know about hedge maintenance in the summer.
Winter is generally the best time to prune these bushes vigorously given that this is when they’ll be lying dormant. Notwithstanding this fact, performing a little minor upkeep throughout the year can keep these features looking crisp and healthy. It will also improve the overall appearance of the landscape by preserving the crisp, neat edges that you worked so hard to create during maintenance and spring.
When performing this task, however, you want to make sure that you are using the proper tools, and that you are maintaining these tools correctly. If any cutting utensils are not adequately sharpened or if they are experiencing other maintenance-related issues, they may wind up doing more harm than good. Thus, before you get started, take stock of the equipment that you have on hand and get everything sharpened and oiled up.
One tools that you might need is a simple hand pruner. This is going to work best for small branches and stems. If you intend to do away with bigger branches, you will need to have lopper. Given that aggressive pruning is not often recommended for the summer months, you don’t have to worry about having a quality pruning saw until you’re ready to start removing extra-large features later in the year.
Be sure to wear gloves so that you aren’t sustaining a lot of painful scratches and cuts along the way. Another form of personal protection equipment that you want to have in your cache is a good pair of glasses. These will protect your eyes from sawdust, small-moving debris, and tiny particulates. If you can, try investing in safety goggles are glasses as these will provide the best head-on and peripheral protection.
Trim with authority and purpose. Making clean, crisp cuts is going to put the least amount of stress on the tree. Even though summer can be significantly less stressful on these features than the typical winter weather extremes, gnawing slowly away on various branches with dull blades is not going to promote optimum hedge health.
Make sure to haul all removed debris away from your yard, especially if you live in a region that’s known for termite problems. This should be able to break down naturally in a safe place, such as in your compost bin. Dealing with your yard waste in this fashion will limit the environmental impact of your landscaping design, and give you plenty of good compost for nourishing your foliage in the future.
To ensure adequate light and air, place your focus on thinning heavier areas out. You always want to make sure that you are never trimming away more than quarter of the hedge’s greenery, so as not to create shock and other problems. Finally, always be sure to clean your cutting tools thoroughly before putting them away as this can be vital for preventing the spread of disease and other problems.
