Electric Hedge Cutter and Trimmer

Electric Hedge Cutter and Trimmer

Learn tips for using your electric hedge cutter and trimmer. Every hedge needs regular grooming to maintain that fence-like appearance. It's usually best to trim hedges in the fall when the shrubbery goes dormant for the winter. In the spring, a little clean-up work may be required to reshape the trees.

Before starting any hedge trimming job, make sure your electric hedge cutter and trimmer blades are sharp. Dull blades will tug at shrub branches causing damage.

Trim in Small Doses

When using electric hedge cutters and trimmers, it's important to remember to minimize how much you cut off. In the fall, you want to encourage growth by spring, but in the spring too much trimming will make your hedges look sloppy.

Unless you're really cutting back to the bare minimum, which should only be done in the fall, stick to cutting an inch at a time. If the inch isn't enough, go back over and trim another inch. Repeat the process until you're happy with the results. Start with the sides of the shrub and work your way to the top.

With long strands, you can cut them even with the rest of the hedge. You'll always have a few branches that grow quickly and stick out like a sore thumb.

Shaping Your Hedges

Unless you're truly artistic and have the abilities of Edward Scissorhands, your hedges will usually be shaped in a conical, rectangular or rounded shape. Fancy gardens may have animal shaped hedges, but this takes extreme talent and plenty of hours.

When using electric hedge cutter and trimmer tools to shape your hedges, decide on your desired look first. Rectangular hedges are easiest. Simply create a straight line using twine and cut above it to create uniform lines on the sides and top of the hedges.

For a conical hedge, make sure you taper the sides. The bottom should be round and wide and then narrow slightly until the top where they form a pointed peak.

A round hedge should have wider bottom to allow sun to reach all of the branches. If sunlight is blocked, the branches may loose leaves or needles and appear thing and straggly.

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