We all love to have green hedges and shrubs in our surroundings. It increases the beauty and value of our house. Like many other things hedges also need to be taken care of.
If you don’t cut them off regularly then they will lose shape and appeal. Among the other tools that are available to execute the cut hedge trimmers are the best.
They are easy to use, last for a long time, and buying one of them doesn’t cost much too.
However, it is not unlikely that beginners will confuse themselves with getting their heads around how to trim bushes with a hedge trimmer.
With that said, using a hedges trimmer gets simpler once somebody organizes the required information in one place.
And, that’s what we are up to here with an effective blog on the aforementioned subject.
So, let’s cut the chase and give it a go.
Contents
Types of Hedge Trimmer
There are different types of hedge trimmers with their benefits and functionalities. Having some knowledge about them can help in trimming.
Electric Hedge Trimmers
Electric hedge trimmers are suitable for small yards as one needs to drag a wire and connect it to an electrical outlet while using it.
These types of trimmers are easy to use, run quieter, and are affordable in price. Most of the time, you will be able to get a decent quality trimmer for 50-80 dollars.
While trimming make sure the cord doesn’t get in touch with the trimmer. And, if you have a long yard consider buying extended cords to perform your work properly.
Once the trimming is done, unplug the cord from the outlet to be safe from any unusual accidents.
Cordless Hedge Trimmer
For those who don’t like to bear the hustle of dragging a cord, a cordless hedge trimmer is a perfect alternative. These types of hedge trimmers are powered by batteries.
Previously they were not much popular due to the lack of capacity and shorter battery life. But nowadays, manufacturers are producing powerful batteries, and thus cordless hedge trimmers are getting trendy.
The average price ranges from 60 to 500 dollars and varies on the capacity of the batteries.
Before starting the trimmer, ensure the batteries are fully charged. You won’t like it if the battery dies in the mid of your work.
After being charged fully, keep it somewhere and allow it to cool down. And for its safety, don’t plug in the charger after the battery is charged fully.
Gas Powered Trimmers
The gas-powered trimmer is the most powerful among all the models available. However, it requires maintenance compared to other trimmers.
One great thing about a gas-powered hedge trimmer is that you can cleanly cut off strong plants using it. You won’t find this benefit in other trimmers.
Check out if your trimmer only needs gas, fuel, or a combination of both. If it requires the gas /oil combination, then follow the manufacturer’s guide for the correct ratio.
The price fell between 290-360 dollars for most of the models available on the market.
Pole Hedge Trimmer
Pole hedge trimmers are used to trim bushes and hedges on a higher spot which you can’t do with the typical trimmers found in the market.
The pole hedge trimmer isn’t different from the trimmers we mentioned above except that you get an extension to reach the higher parts of the bushes.
While using a pole hedge trimmer, you need to balance it properly.
As when you are reaching higher parts of the plants, it could be difficult to balance between maintaining the trimmer and performing the cut perfectly.
Safety Concerns
It’s fun and convenient to use hedge trimmers. But it can be dangerous too unless you maintain caution while using it. Here are some tips you can follow to get rid of any unusual casualty.
- Wear goggles, gloves, and long sleeve shirts. Use safety devices for your ears to avoid any hearing damage from noisy trimming.
- Always hold the trimmer with two hands and never hold the tree branches while cutting them off
- Clear the areas from any household chores before starting the trimming process
- Keep kids and pets at a safe distance
Perfect Time to Trim Hedges
If you cut off the shrubs and hedges at the wrong time, they won’t grow properly afterward. Keep the following tips in mind for this instance:
- Trim the hedges and bushes in the early morning or afternoon. That way the end of the branches will remain safe from the scorch of the sun.
- Trim your bushes at the beginning of the spring or late in the winter. Birds usually set the nesting in early spring and it isn’t therefore the perfect timing to trim hedges.
- Cut the flowering plants immediately after the flowers bloom. It provides enough time for the plants to grow flower buds next year.
- Trim the non-flowering plants after they have grown perfectly.
How to Trim Bushes with Hedge Trimmer? Step by Step
Step 1
Relax your mind first before starting the actual process. Now collect all the tools you will be needed while working. Choose the right trimmer which will match perfectly for your hedges.
Keep scoop, trash can, and scissors close to your hand. You need a trash can and scoop after finishing the working process. To cut hard braches you may require scissors.
Step 2
Start trimming from the bottom of the hedges and gradually move up. While trimming make sure that you trim slowly. Otherwise, you might be spun too deep or make the hedges uneven while you are lopping.
Take a short break in the mid of trimming and look for whether you are trimming properly or not. That way you will be able to trim and pleasantly decorate the hedges.
While cutting the top of the hedges, at first keep the trimmer flat on top of the hedges. Now move the trimmer left and right slowly. The hedge trimmer blade cut both sides, so you will be able to finish the trimming within a short time.
Make sure that you keep the trimmer in an angle position while trimming. That way the hedges will be wide at the bottom and slightly narrow at the top.
By doing this you will allow the sunray to reach the bottom of the hedges which will help the hedges to grow properly.
You may find branches that will not be cut off by hedges or are at least difficult to cut off. In this case, use a sharp knife or scissors to cut them off.
Step 3
Now that you have finished trimming, it’s time to take a closer look at the hedges. Look for any dead, diseased, and damaged branches. If you find some then get rid of them.
There may be tall hedges that your normal hedge trimmer can’t reach. In these types of situations, you can use a pole hedge trimmer. What you need to do is set the trimmer on top of the plants and move both sides.
These trimmers cut fast so you will be able to trim the upper part within a very short time. You may find bushes and hedges uneven in some places. Fix them using your trimmer or scissor.
Step 4
After finishing the trimming, now it’s time to clean the ground of your yards. Using a scoop collect all the severed hedges and put them in the trash can. And you are perfectly done now!
Conclusion
So that’s it; you are all set to trim your hedges perfectly. Trim your formal hedges and bushes every quarterly. For the informal bushes, it’s enough to pare them one or two times per year.