Coppicing garden hedge

nqtfarmer

Have a beech hedge around the house planted last February and strengthened well over the summer. I’m just looking at thickening the hedge for the coming year, do I prune back individual branches or coppice the whole thing down to 6 inches? Also what time of year is best to do this?

Don't do the coppicing, its a bit harsh, no need. Cut back any strong, little branched shoots, at least by half, leave the ones with lots of side branches. You can do it now, or anytime till March.

baaba maal

Depending on your levels of patience, an the length of the hedge- just clipping as many of the branch tips with a scissors as you can is actually worth it- each tip will produce two shoots when nipped. I'm only suggesting doing it once, looser trimming with a shears in subsequent years is fine.

Hocus Focus

Google "Laying a hedge"

Jim_Hodge

Hocus Focus wrote: »

Google "Laying a hedge"

This is far from a suitable laying situation. It's a young hedge,

Hocus Focus

Jim_Hodge wrote: »

This is far from a suitable laying situation. It's a young hedge,

I'm not saying he should lay it this year, or next, but when it has grown enough. There is enough information on line to tell him when and how to do it. I'm just making him aware of the technique.