My Hedge Is Too Wide – Gardening Advice

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The idea of a hedge for your house or garden is simply fantastic. It’s like a wall, but it’s made of leaves. But one issue with them is that they can get too wide and go out of control.

Today, we’ll discuss why this can be an issue for your and your neighbors and how to resolve it.

Why It’s Bad?

For You

The first issue with having a hedge that’s too wide is that it can be bad for your garden as it compromises the space. Of course, by their nature, hedges are thicker than brick walls. However, you don’t want a garden with so many hedges that you struggle to do anything else with your garden space.

You still need to get to all the plants below it, and the wider the hedge is, the more difficult this task becomes. An overgrown hedge can also be unpleasant to hit your face on accidentally. Hedges also need frequent feeding, watering, and pruning, which may be hard to maintain.

You’ll want your hedge to be flat and smooth for safety, aesthetics, and comfort.

For Others

Another reason to stop your hedge from getting too wide is other people, such as your neighbors or a passerby. Overgrown hedges are also a great hiding place for all kinds of insects and other animals. This would make it easier for them to access your and your neighbor’s garden. These insects and pests that house on your untrimmed hedges could feed on your gardens and eventually start invading your houses as well. There is a possibility that your garden is by a public spare.

Bird droppings and other remnants from insects that live in the hedges could pollute its surroundings. For legal reasons and etiquette, you should ensure that everybody who walks past your garden still has plenty of space to get by.

How would you feel if you were walking down the street with your friends and suddenly had to walk around a big hedge? You probably would not be pleased. We all need to think about others, which means not letting your garden get in their path.

It’s Not All Bad News

In a way, having an overgrown hedge is a good thing. I know that goes against everything I’ve just said but hear me out. The only way that any plant can grow is if they’re healthy. No health, no growth. Having an overgrown hedge is a sign that it’s healthy.

The soil it’s in is fertile, the water is sufficient, and there’s enough sunlight. It’s going to be much easier to make a wide hedge smaller than a thin hedge bigger.

So before you get to work, take a second to be proud of yourself.

Let’s Fence It?

One idea to stop your hedge from getting too wide is to put a fence on one side. This way, you will only need to cut your hedge on one side. But that might be an issue. If you put a fence on your side, instead of getting to look at a luscious green hedge, you’ll be looking at a wooden fence instead.

And if the fence is on the other side, nobody will be able to look at your beautiful hedge.

What’s the point of having a beautiful garden if there’s nobody to admire it? Right?

Cut It Out

The best way to deal with a wide hedge is to cut it. This way, you get a hedge of the perfect width, and everyone else gets to look at it. A well-trimmed hedge will also help elevate your yard’s aesthetic and stimulate the new growth of stronger branches.

Trimming your hedge will help improve its health and condition. Trimming out the dead branches will also help prevent harming nearby plants and other people passing by.

Frequently trimming and maintaining your hedge will also reduce insect infestation and help encourage the blossoming of new flowers and fruits.

Safety

Before you cut, please remember always to keep safety in mind. Do not put your ladder on uneven or soft ground. There will be bits of twigs flying about all over the place, so you must have eye protection. Trimming your hedges in rainy weather may be dangerous, especially while using electric trimmers.

Make sure you don’t raise your hedge trimmer above your hedge at any point. Try to work at a comfortable pace to prevent any injuries.

Whatever you use to cut, it will always be sharp. So make sure you are careful of your own body and everyone around you when using them.

Try to wear as much protective clothing as you can. Some may include eye goggles, hearing protection, thick and well-fitted clothing, and non-slippery shoes.

It might also be wise to wear gloves.

How To

Cutting a hedge can either be done with a powered trimmer (gas or electric) or garden shears. A powered trimmer can be incredibly dangerous if used irresponsibly. However, using it is very easy. Simply turn it on and cut. This is better for larger hedges.

Garden shears are slower, cheaper, and much safer. Think of them as a giant pair of scissors. To use them, all you need to do is snip away at the excess hedge.

At first, your trim might be so super smooth, but as with everything, practice makes perfect.

Other Issues

Of course, being too wide isn’t the only problem that hedges face. They might also get too tall. The solution to this is the same, cut it. A hedge might also struggle to grow at all. This might be a lack of nutrients, in which case you should change the soil around it.

Or it could be a lack of water, in which case you should water it. Other factors that aren’t good for a hedge are disease and pests. The disease is best dealt with when it’s caught earlier on so you can cut it out before it spreads.

Pests… well, that’s a topic for another article.

Conclusion

And that is what you need to do if your hedge is too wide. You cut it or give it a trim. I know it sounds like such an obvious solution, but if it works, it works.

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