Pruning hedge plants in February: do's and don'ts
Do your fingers itch when you look outside? Gardens are often a boring place in February, don’t you think? There are so many dry leaves on the lawn, on the grass and on the soil around the hedge plants. It's a real mess. You'd love to go outside right now and tidy everything up. Should you wait with preparing the garden for spring or can you already start pruning?
Opinions are divided. According to Hedgeplants Heijnen, it is quite possible to go into your garden and tidy up late winter. There are a few things you have to take into account. And especially with hedges that are not suitable for pruning at a certain moment in time. So please read this blog before you grab your garden gloves, pruning shears and a garbage bag or bin to tackle the jungle in your garden!
Pruning in February: what is there to take into account?
Please remember: never prune when it’s freezing.
Many plants are pruned in the winter, which is no problem. But do remember to never prune when it's freezing. Never! It's not practical because you can't get through the branches properly with your pruning shears because the branches are a lot harder. It is also not advisable for two other reasons: The plant cannot absorb nutrition and you can damage the plant. You don't want that and it is questionable whether the hedge plant will fully recover. It’s better to wait a little longer, so you are sure that the pruning will not cause any problems to your garden.
You have to take into account that pruning in February means no spring blooms.
Also realize that if you prune in February, the flowering of the plant in the spring won’t happen. If that’s something you don’t want, you need to find another time to prune. A few months earlier or a few months later is just fine. Is flowering not the purpose of your hedge. Then of course it is no problem to shorten the branches in February. It all comes down to your ownpersonal preference and application.
Removing dead or diseased branches is a great idea.
Are there a few dead or diseased branches in your evergreen hedge, such as the hedge of ivy (Hedera), laurel hedge (Prunus Laurocerasus), hornbeam (Carpinus Betulus) or privet hedge (Ligustrum)? You can easily cut these out in February or even as early as January, which provides a beautiful in a matter of minutes! Not only does it look better, it is also very healthy for the hedge plant. Daylight can now reach places where it used not to. The plants get more air, so the new twigs or sprouts are stimulated to grow. This means that in the spring, the hedge plant can start growing in a healthy way.
Deciduous plants: definitely do not prune these in winter
Are there deciduous hedges, such as the beech hedge (Fagus Sylvatica or Green Beech) in your garden? Then watch out, because they don't like it at all if you start cutting their branches in February. These hedge plants are at that time still completely in (winter) rest. So be patient. And if you do want to prune them early in the year, start in March or April.Do you have a beech hedge and do you value your privacy?
If you plan to prune your beech hedge in February, remember that you will also be removing a lot of dry leaves, which may leave holes in the hedge. Not a great idea if you value your privacy.
Don't prune yet, spend your time wise
Okay... you've understood or decided that February is not the time you’ll be pruning. But your hands are itching… No worries, there’s always something to do in the garden even if it is not pruning your hedge. You can also start preparing your garden for spring.
Think of: removing dry leaves from your lawn, terraces and borders. Upgrade the soil in your garden by adding a layer of compost. Let the sun, growth and flowering come!
General tips for using and maintaining pruning shears
No matter the time of year, use clean and sharp pruning shears. Blunt shears lead to the possibility of damaging the branch and thereby forming serrated edges. With all the consequences this entails. Something you want to avoid at all costs. Also important: clean the prune shears after use. Why?
a) the tool lasts longer and
b) if the plant is suffering from a disease, at least you won't pass it on during the next pruning session. Which would be a shame, it’s such a small effort to thoroughly clean the equipment.