Hedge trimming timing matters more than most people realise. Trim a flowering species right before it buds and you'll cut off the display for the whole season. Trim a fast grower too rarely and it gets away from you, leaving a hard, ugly cutback as the only fix.
Common Brisbane hedge species and when to trim them -Lilly Pilly: Prune after the main flush of new growth, typically spring through to early autumn. Avoid hard cutting in winter, new growth is more prone to frost damage.
- Photinia: Trim in spring and again in late summer to keep the prized red new growth coming through regularly.
- Murraya: Best trimmed straight after flowering (usually late spring/summer) so you don't cut off next season's flowers and scent.
- Viburnum: Fairly forgiving, light trims every 6–8 weeks through the growing season keep it dense without much risk.
- Gardenia: Trim immediately after flowering finishes, generally late summer. Pruning too early removes the flower buds.
- Callistemon (Bottlebrush): Trim straight after flowering, cutting just below the spent flower heads to encourage the next flush.
General rules that apply across most hedges 1. Never trim more than about a third of the plant in one session, hard cutbacks stress the plant and can leave bare, woody patches that take a long time to green up again. 2. Shape narrower at the top than the base. This lets light reach the lower branches, which is what keeps a hedge full and green all the way down instead of going bare at the bottom. 3. A regular light trim beats an occasional heavy one. Hedges maintained every 6–8 weeks through the growing season need far less aggressive cutting than ones left for months at a time.
We provide regular hedge trimming across Brisbane Gold coast and Scenic Rim. Get in touch for a free quote.