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Is now a good time to prune laurel hedge

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  • 19-03-2019 2:29pm
    #1
    Sconsey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I have some newish laurel hedging that has grown as tall as I want it but needs to 'thicken-up' a bit. So I was planning to prune at the tops to try to engourage growth outwards. Most sites advise to prune around May/June but I notice the new growth has already started this year with new shoots and buds.

    Is it unwise to prune the tops at this time of year, I am not talking about anything major, just selctive pruning of the tops of some?

    Thanks


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    #2
    J Cheevor Loophole
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭J Cheevor Loophole


    I seen a neighbor cutting back their Laurel bush two weeks before the beast / East event... Didn't harm it, it's bomb proof.


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    #3
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Its fine but personally I would check the forecast and try not to be pruning just before we get bad frost. Frost won't kill the laurel but it might cause a bit of die back where its cut, not a big deal but avoidable.


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    #4
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,358 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    No it's too late. Birds nesting, hedgehogs waking up. Give a **** about your environment.


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    #5
    J Cheevor Loophole
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭J Cheevor Loophole


    lordgoat wrote: »
    No it's too late. Birds nesting, hedgehogs waking up. Give a **** about your environment.
    Pruning the very tips of the shrub is not going affect any nesting space, won't affect hedgehogs either will it ? unless their a long lost climbing sub species.


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    #6
    Sconsey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭Sconsey


    lordgoat wrote: »
    No it's too late. Birds nesting, hedgehogs waking up. Give a **** about your environment.

    Hedge is probably overselling them, they are about chest-high with gaps in between, I would like them to fill-out. If a bird tried to nest in them now the hedge would probably fall over from the added weight!


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    #7
    J Cheevor Loophole
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭J Cheevor Loophole


    If's that's the case that the shrubs are chest high but spindley and weak and you want them to bush out, then wait a couple of weeks till frost is less of an issue and remove upwards of a half of all top growth. Repeat in September ( less this time ) and this time next year you will have more uniformity in growth. I personally would do it now but just to be sure.


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    #8
    lordgoat
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 11,358 Mod ✭✭✭✭lordgoat


    J Cheevor Loophole wrote: »
    I seen a neighbor cutting back their Laurel bush two weeks before the beast / East event... Didn't harm it, it's bomb proof.
    J Cheevor Loophole wrote: »
    Pruning the very tips of the shrub is not going affect any nesting space, won't affect hedgehogs either will it ? unless their a long lost climbing sub species.

    These don't match up.

    Also Pruning the tips would disturb a bird that was about to nest and walking through a hedgerow to prune your tips would also disturb anything under your feet. Keep up with the good advice though.


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    #9
    J Cheevor Loophole
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭J Cheevor Loophole


    my3cents wrote: »
    Its fine but personally I would check the forecast and try not to be pruning just before we get bad frost. Frost won't kill the laurel but it might cause a bit of die back where its cut, not a big deal but avoidable.
    They do match up, I was tipping my hat at above poster, who is erring on the side of caution. My conviction is that Laurel is bomb proof still and can be pruned anytime, but thanks for the comments. anyway


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    #10
    J Cheevor Loophole
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭J Cheevor Loophole


    Naturally enough, when the shrubs mature and bush out, pruning between March and September should be avoided for wildlife reasons.


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    #11
    Tacklebox
    Registered Users Posts: 419 ✭✭Tacklebox


    lordgoat wrote: »
    No it's too late. Birds nesting, hedgehogs waking up. Give a **** about your environment.

    Laurel isn't native, I've yet to find a bird's nest in Laurel.


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    #12
    J Cheevor Loophole
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭J Cheevor Loophole


    Tacklebox wrote: »
    lordgoat wrote: »
    No it's too late. Birds nesting, hedgehogs waking up. Give a **** about your environment.

    Laurel isn't native, I've yet to find a bird's nest in Laurel.
    I've yet to see a bird's nest in them either but to be fair I've seen hedgehogs in the neighbors Laurel ( mature ) shrub.


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    #13
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    I cut it in late summer. That way it looks reasonably well kept for about 10 months.
    If cut in spring, it looks reasonably well kept for about 2 months.
    But if you are not as lazy as me, you can cut it as often as you like.


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    #14
    delly
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 7,653 Mod ✭✭✭✭delly


    lordgoat wrote: »
    No it's too late. Birds nesting, hedgehogs waking up. Give a **** about your environment.

    Less of the preachy attitude please, thank you very much.


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    #15
    BuboBubo
    Registered Users Posts: 927 ✭✭✭BuboBubo


    lordgoat wrote: »
    No it's too late. Birds nesting, hedgehogs waking up. Give a **** about your environment.

    No birds nest in mine anyway, they prefer the sceach across the road, provides better cover for them!

    Never saw a hedgehog up in a laurel hedge either ;), you can cut back laurels anytime really - they're hardy.


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