Hedge trimming: how to master cutting hedges

Our hedge trimming guide will show you how and when to cut hedges correctly. Discover useful tips for different plants, sizes and shapes.

21.07.2025

Overview
When can you trim hedges?
Hedge types at a glance
Trimming tall and medium-height hedges
Hedge topiary for the garden
Hedge trimmer or long-reach hedge trimmer?

Overview: hedge Trimming

You should only trim spring-flowering hedges after they have flowered
Make sure there are no nests of breeding birds in the hedge before performing light shaping in summer (September to March)
More severe pruning is suggested in late winter or early spring
Cut new stems to one third of their length
Handheld Hedge trimmer for chest-height hedges, long-reach hedge trimmer for tall hedges
Create topiary with your shrubs and bushes

For evergreen hedges, it is suggested to trim in late winter to early spring. This timing allows the hedges to recover and grow vigorously during the spring.

For Deciduous hedges, it is best to trim them in late winter when the plants are dormant. This helps to shape the hedge and promot helthy growth in the spring.

You can find out more about this topic in our guide “When can you trim hedges?”

The ideal time to start trimming a hedge is in late winter. You should do the actual hedge pruning shortly before new growth begins, which is usually in spring. Please observe the applicable legal regulations and ensure that there are no birds nesting in the hedge.

The weather should be mild when trimming hedges. A cloudy day with above-zero temperatures is ideal. If conditions are very sunny, or too hot, freshly cut sections can dry out and die off. Frosty temperatures are not recommended because fresh cuts would heal slowly and will become brittle under these conditions.

The question of whether a neighbour is entitled to demand that you trim your hedge is a legal issue and is not regulated uniformly nationwide. The distance from the property line and the height of the hedge are regulated by local laws. It is best to contact your municipality directly to find out the extent to which a neighbour may request that you trim a hedge and how this neighbourhood matter is specifically regulated.

The height a hedge is permitted to grow to depends on your location. States such as NSW and VIC have regulations such as the The Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 and the Fences Act 1968. Check with your municipality or city to avoid any potential issues with authorities and neighbouring properties.

The best time to cut hedges depends on the types of plants you have.

At least once a year:

Lilly Pilly: Trim in late winter or early spring
Photinia: Trim in late winter or early spring
Viburnum: Light trimming can be done throughout the year, but heavy pruning should be done in early spring
Forsythia: Best pruned in early summer after flowering

At least twice a year:

Boxwood (Buxus): Trim in late winter or early spring and again in late summer
Murraya: Trim in spring and autumn

Hedges should be trimmed about twice a year for healthy growth and a long-lasting, attractive shape.

Spring trimming is performed in the spring, up until the beginning of Summer. For this the plant should be thoroughly trimmed and cut into shape.

Summer is all about keeping things shapely: if the leaves have grown unevenly, they should be trimmed to a uniform length. During the spring trim, you should cut the year’s growth back by a good two-thirds, removing any protruding or jutting shoots.

If necessary, you can also prune more dramatically from the start of Autumn.

Woman wearing safety glasses and gloves while trimming a hedge

There are laws regulating when you are allowed to trim hedges.

When can you trim hedges?

Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 prohibits cutting on “any land not then cultivated” between 1 st March and 31 st August annually. Our guide will tell you when you can trim hedges and what fines you could face in the event of violations.

More about the ideal time to trim your hedge

Trimming hedges correctly: Hedge types at a glance

Beware of poisonous hedges

Most Australian hedges are considered safe, however some shrubs and hedges are toxic if ingested in large quantities.

Poisonous Hedges

Lilly Pilly (Syzygium spp.)
- Toxicity: Generally safe, but some species may have berries that can cause mild stomach upset if ingested in large quantities
Photinia (Photinia spp.)
- Toxicity: Leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can release cyanide when chewed. This can be harmful if ingested in large amounts
Murraya (Murraya paniculata)
- Toxicity: Generally considered non-toxic, but it's always best to supervise children and pets around any plant

Safe Hedges

Boxwood (Buxus spp.)
- Toxicity: Leaves and stems contain alkaloids that can be toxic if ingested in large quantities
Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)
- Toxicity: Generally non-toxic and safe for gardens with children and pets
Forsythia (Forsythia spp.)
- Toxicity: Non-toxic and safe for children and pets

It's always a good idea to supervise children and pets around any plants and consult with local experts or your vet if you have concerns about specific plants in your garden.

Some caution is also required when trimming certain plants, so you should make sure you wear the right protective clothing when shaping and maintaining your hedge such as gloves and eye protection.

A woman on a garden plot pruning stems on a hedge with the STIHL HS 82 hedge trimmer

Hedges can be trimmed from the second year of growth.

Pruning young hedge plants

After planting a hedge, it is important not to cut it at first. In the second year of growth, the young garden hedge can be trimmed and pruned into the desired shape. The main stem should be left intact until the plant has reached the desired height. All other stems should be cut back by half.

A woman stretching a piece of twine along a hedge to use as a guide for trimming.

Stretching a piece of twine along the hedge can help to guide a straight cut.

The right approach to hedge pruning

Trim the side growth back by two-thirds and allow the main stems grow to the desired height.

Only a radical cut can help with an irregular or holey hedge. However, be careful: conifers no longer sprout after you have pruned them back to the wood. This is why you should never cut into the old wood of conifers, even during regular maintenance trims. Only the yew can withstand even ruthless cutting.

Technique for trimming mid-height hedges with the hedge trimmer

Trim your hedge into a trapezoidal shape

Giving hedges a trapezoidal shape – wide at the bottom, narrow at the top – prevents the bottom branches from going bald, as this shape ensures all branches get enough light.

A woman trimming a box bush using STIHL HSA 26 cordless shrub shears and a ball-shaped cardboard template

Use a template to help you achieve the desired shape.

The right shape

Some garden owners want to give their shrubs and hedges a beautiful shape.
A cardboard template or a piece of twine can help you trim the plant into the correct shape.

More about boxwood topiary

Privacy screening hedges: how to eliminate blemishes

There is generally a simple solution for correcting blemishes in hedges: lots of light. Smaller gaps will quickly close if they get enough sun. So you should remove adjacent branches or other sources of shade to ensure sufficient sunlight reaches the gap. Be careful with thuja hedges, as these do not forgive a deep cut into the wood of the plant.

Larger gaps can be closed by crossing adjacent shoots over the open space along a straight stick or bamboo cane. You can tie the shoots of the hedge loosely to the stick to keep them in place.

After trimming hedges, remember to dispose of the cuttings properly. Leaving cuttings on the lawn can inhibit grass growth and cause bare patches to develop.

Gather up the grass clippings with a fan rake or with a cordless leaf blower such as the STIHL BGA 57. Alternatively, you can also spread out a textile underlay such as an old bed sheet before cutting the hedge, to catch the hedge clippings. Doing this will save you a lot of effort, especially when trimming hedges with very small leaves such as boxwood, as it makes the cuttings easy to pick up and dispose of.

Trimming hedges with tried-and-tested STIHL tools

A man on a step pruning a tall hedge with the STIHL HLA 85 cordless long-reach hedge trimmer

Tall, wide hedges are no problem for STIHL long-reach hedge trimmers.

Long-reach hedge trimmers

A STIHL long-reach hedge trimmer can also be used to reach particularly tall, long or excessively wide hedges. The optimum angle can be easily selected on the cutter bar, which can be rotated by up to 145 degrees.

Hedge trimmers are suitable for both landscape maintenance professionals and home owners.

Woman wearing ear protection and safety glasses trimming a hedge with a STIHL HS 46 petrol hedge trimmer

Hedge trimmers are ideal for hip-height hedges.

Hedge trimmers

STIHL hedge trimmers are designed specifically for effortless, fastidious maintenance of thick and particularly long hedges.

The double-sided cutting blade cuts accurately in both horizontal and vertical positions. STIHL hedge trimmers really shine when used on plants that are hip- to chest-height.