When should you cut your hedges? A North Yorkshire guide

A well-kept hedge makes a garden look tidy, gives you privacy and is great for wildlife. Cutting it at the right time is the key to keeping it thick and healthy.

Watch out for nesting birds

The main bird nesting season runs from March to August. It's against the law to damage or destroy an active nest, so always check carefully before you cut during these months. Many people save heavy hedge work for late summer, autumn and winter.

Best times for common hedges

• Privet and Lonicera: fast growers, so they usually need a trim two or three times between late spring and early autumn.

• Beech and hornbeam: one trim in late summer keeps them neat, and they'll hold their brown leaves through winter for privacy.

• Laurel: trim in late spring or late summer, ideally with secateurs or a hedge trimmer used carefully, because cut leaves turn brown.

• Yew: one trim in late summer or early autumn.

• Leylandii: trim two or three times between spring and late summer. Don't cut back into old brown wood, because it won't regrow.

Keep the shape right

Cut hedges slightly narrower at the top than at the bottom. This lets light reach the lower branches, so the hedge stays thick all the way down instead of going bare at the base.

Overgrown hedge?

Many deciduous hedges can be cut back hard in winter while they're dormant, then left to regrow. It's best to spread a big reduction over two winters.

Need a hand? GardenCare does hedge cutting and shaping across Harrogate, Ripon and the surrounding villages. Call 07555 289859 for a free quote.