5/29/2023 0 Comments Hedge trimming![]() ![]() I then tie twine between the two external sets of stakes right above ground level to mark the outer sides of the keystone. With my eight stakes in place, I stretch the twine and tie it to the two sets of inner stakes at 24 inches high, the intended height of the hedge. I use the same method to measure and stake the opposite end of the hedge. So the stakes marking the top and bottom widths of the hedge should be 6 inches apart. For instance, our hedges measure 24 inches across the top and 36 inches at the bottom, which is a difference of 12 inches. This amount is how far the stake marking the bottom should be from the stake marking the top. I first divide the difference between the top and bottom widths in half. I use the inner stakes as guides for placing the outer stakes. Wood, stiff bamboo, or plastic also work. Metal stakes are preferable, but beware: Most metal stakes fit into a hedge trimmer’s teeth, so work carefully around them to avoid tool damage. When I’m sure of the measurement, I mark it with stakes, which are easy to see and to move if adjustment becomes necessary. Since the outer new leaves tend to grow more vigorously on the southern or sunlit side, I note the location of the shrub’s main trunks before finalizing this measurement, to keep the hedge centered. Starting at one end of the hedge, I measure the desired width of the top. The first step to trimming is getting the template in place The shade that’s created beneath it is an added benefit, because it cuts down on weeding and watering. This slight 6-inch slope is both attractive and healthy, as it allows all branches to get maximum sunlight. At the arboretum, we shear our boxwood hedge to 24 inches wide across the top and 36 inches wide at the bottom. I recommend shearing the hedge in an inverted keystone shape, narrower on the top and wider at the bottom. Accurate measurements and well-placed stakes are the key. The straight edge that is the hallmark of the formal hedge depends most on what you do before you cut. You certainly don’t need a degree in art to want a nice, smooth hedge, and this system, which I’ve used in my nine years of pruning the boxwoods, is one anyone can use to achieve the same clean, formal look our hedges have. The longer blade on the trimmer helps, too, making it easier to connect the top measurement with the bottom one. ![]() An accurate measurement makes the cutting of the hedge much easier. The first major step in achieving a smooth hedge leads to the second. Or maybe it’s that my shearing system seems to work right every time. Maybe it’s my background in art that allows me to appreciate its design purity. The hedge is the only formal garden at the arboretum, and I enjoy the rigid, neat, and precise trimming it requires. I am the only one who prunes the boxwood ( Buxus microphylla ‘Koreana’) hedge at the Morton Arboretum, in Lisle, Illinois. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |