We all want our gardens to look their best. That’s why maintenance is so important — because it’s only through the correct pruning, repotting, mowing and cultivating that your plants will flourish.
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Privet hedges are a landscaping staple known for their dense foliage and ease of pruning. With regular trimming, they can be shaped into clean lines or ornate topiaries that lend privacy and beauty to any outdoor space. However, the timing of privet hedge pruning is crucial to maintaining plant health and desired form. Prune too early or late and you’ll get less-than-ideal results.
So when is the best time to cut back your privets? The answer depends on your goals, as privets benefit from pruning at two different times of year. Here’s a complete guide on determining the optimal timing and technique for pruning privet hedges in spring, summer, and fall.
Why Regular Pruning is Essential for Privet Hedges
Privet is a fast-growing, dense shrub that makes an excellent hedge with proper care. The most common types used in hedging are:
- Common privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
- Golden privet (Ligustrum x vicaryi)
Some key benefits of privet for hedging include
- Compact, bushy form reaching 4-15 feet tall
- Tolerates frequent pruning and shearing
- Grows thickly to create screens and barriers
- Small leaves provide dense foliage down to the base
- Withstands various soil conditions
However, without regular trimming, privet hedges become uneven, leggy, and overgrown Pruning stimulates dense regrowth to maintain the hedge’s desired size, shape, and fullness
Timing is critical – improper pruning at the wrong time of year can damage new growth remove flower buds, or leave tender shoots exposed to winter damage. Adhering to optimal timing maximizes the benefits of pruning.
Spring Pruning Encourages Growth and Shaping
The best time for the first yearly privet pruning session is early spring, before new growth emerges. In most climates, late February to early April is ideal.
Reasons for pruning privet hedges in spring include:
- Removes dead branches from winter damage
- Shapes overgrown hedge before rapid growth spurt
- Encourages thicker, bushier regrowth
- Allows time for new foliage to fill in before summer
When spring pruning, first remove any dead or damaged branches down to the ground using loppers or pruners. Also trim out branches crossing through the center to open up air circulation.
Next, prune for shaping. Use string lines and stakes to mark the desired hedge height and silhouette. Shear the top flat and sides at slightly outward-angled cuts so the base is wider than the top. This allows light to reach the entire plant.
Remove up to 6 inches from the tops, sides, and interior as needed to achieve the intended shape. Rake up and dispose of trimmings to prevent disease issues.
Summer Trimming Maintains Tidiness and Health
The second important privet pruning session should occur in summer after spring growth is complete. Mid-July to early September works well in most areas.
Goals of summer hedge trimming include:
- Keeping desired hedge shape before winter dormancy
- Removing old wood and errant new shoots
- Preserving tidy appearance through fall and winter
- Eliminating diseased or pest-damaged foliage
Use sharp hedge shears to trim off up to 6 more inches of new growth that exceeds current shaping. Cut at an angle above outward-facing buds or leaves to encourage bushiness. Avoid shearing heavily into thick old wood.
Inspect for signs of diseases, pests, or dead spots and remove affected branches. Water after pruning to reduce plant stress and apply fertilizer to support regrowth. Monitor health and do light corrective trimming if needed before winter.
Fall: Avoid Drastic Pruning to Protect New Growth
Experts recommend avoiding major privet pruning in fall. Drastic hedge cutting in autumn removes new shoots before they have time to harden off for winter.
However, light trimming to maintain shape and remove old foliage can be done up until early fall. Discontinue shearing by mid-autumn so tender new growth isn’t stimulated right before winter dormancy.
Resist cutting back privet hedges in winter as well. Pruning during cold weather can stress plants and cause dieback of new shoots exposed to freezing temperatures after a hard cut.
Corrective Rejuvenation Pruning
If an overgrown, unhealthy privet hedge needs major corrective pruning, the best time is late winter just before spring growth starts.
For rejuvenation cutting:
- Cut main branches back to 6-12 inches above the ground
- Remove all tattered old growth
- This stimulates fresh, dense regrowth from the base
- Shape and maintain as usual through the growing season
Severely pruning privet to the ground may be an eyesore briefly but causes rapid regrowth. Supplement with organic fertilizer to aid recovery after rejuvenation pruning.
Signs It’s Time to Trim Privet
Watch for these signs your privet hedge needs pruning:
- Exceeds desired boundaries
- Appears overgrown, irregular, or uneven
- Dead branches or winter damage present
- Accumulated leaf litter inside hedge
- Spring flowers and summer growth completed
Routine trimming keeps privets looking their best. Prune in early spring for shape and growth, again mid-summer to maintain form before winter. Avoid fall pruning and only do light trimming once dormant. Proper timing maximizes the benefits of pruning for health and beauty.
3 signs your privet hedge needs trimming
The green-fingered among us know that a hedge won’t just take care of itself. Without training and trimming, it’s liable to become bushy, straggly or even die off. Here are a few signs you need to get the shears out and get hedge cutting:
Shaping your privet hedge
The amount you prune is really up to you, as privet is such a tolerant plant. Some people cut it down halfway, but take care not to do this too late in the year, or the plant may struggle in the colder months. Popular shapes for privet hedge trimming include spheres, spirals and pyramids, but this is a plant you can really get creative with — we’ve also seen plenty of animal topiaries! As a general rule of thumb, you’ll first need to cut away old, dead, damaged or diseased branches. Then, you’ll need to tackle overgrowth. Trim long shoots first, following the natural growth of the plant. Next, use a small, sharp pair of secateurs to tackle thicker parts that need a more careful approach.
The Best Time To Do Rejuvenation Pruning To Improve Visibility and Security
FAQ
What month do you prune privet?
Privet should be pruned twice a year – in early summer and late autumn. This will reduce the risk of damage from adverse weather conditions in winter, keeping your hedge neat and tidy.
Will a privet hedge grow back if cut back hard?
Yep. Leave it for a few months and it’ll be looking fine again. You can cut privet right down to the ground and it’ll grow back again.
How do you rejuvenate an overgrown privet hedge?
You can completely rejuvenate them by cutting the branches down to 4-6 inches from the ground in late March. Once they get to the height you want trim them in a keystone shape. In other words make sure the lower part of the shrub is wider than the top.
How far back can you cut a Ligustrum?
The easiest method is to cut the entire plant back to about 6 to 12 inches from the ground. These plants grow so fast they won’t look small and bare for long!