Shrub & Hedge Trimming

Why Regular Shrub and Hedge Trimming Matters

Your shrubs and hedges are the foundation of your landscape design. Well-maintained shrubs create clean property lines, provide privacy, and frame your home beautifully. Professional shrub trimming keeps your landscaping looking polished and intentional rather than wild and overgrown.

Regular trimming does more than improve appearance. It promotes healthy growth by removing dead wood, improving air circulation, and encouraging new growth from the interior of the plant. Properly pruned shrubs develop dense, full shapes that look better and provide more effective screening than neglected plants with bare, leggy branches.

In Hoboken, NJ, where properties are close together, hedges often serve as living fences between neighbors. Keeping them neatly trimmed shows respect for your neighbors and maintains good relationships. Overgrown hedges that encroach onto adjacent properties or block views create unnecessary tensions that professional maintenance easily prevents.

Shrubs and Hedges We Maintain

We trim and shape all types of ornamental shrubs and hedges commonly found in residential and commercial landscapes. Each plant species has specific trimming requirements based on its growth habit, flowering pattern, and intended use in your landscape design.

Our experienced team knows when and how to prune each type of plant for optimal results. We use sharp, properly sized tools and make clean cuts that heal quickly without damaging the plant.

• •Formal hedges - Boxwood, privet, yew, and other plants maintained in geometric shapes
• •Informal hedges - Lilac, forsythia, spirea, and flowering shrubs trimmed for natural appearance
• •Foundation plantings - Azaleas, rhododendrons, and other shrubs around building perimeters
• •Evergreen shrubs - Junipers, arborvitae, holly, and other year-round plants
• •Deciduous shrubs - Hydrangeas, viburnum, and seasonal flowering plants
• •Topiary and shaped plants - Specialty pruning for specific decorative forms

When to Schedule Shrub and Hedge Trimming

Timing makes a big difference in shrub trimming results. Most formal hedges and non-flowering evergreens can be trimmed anytime during the growing season. Many homeowners prefer trimming in late spring and again in mid-summer to maintain crisp, clean shapes throughout the warm months.

Flowering shrubs require more careful timing to avoid cutting off buds and losing your blooms. Spring-flowering plants like lilacs, azaleas, and forsythia should be trimmed immediately after flowering ends. This gives them time to set buds for next year blooms. Summer and fall-flowering plants like hydrangeas and butterfly bush get trimmed in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.

Avoid heavy pruning in late summer or fall, as this encourages new growth that will not harden off before winter and may be damaged by freezing temperatures. If your hedges have gotten seriously overgrown, we may recommend renovation pruning over multiple seasons to restore proper size and shape without shocking the plants. Similar to our tree pruning services, we follow best practices for timing and technique to keep your plants healthy.

Our Professional Shrub Trimming Process

We start by evaluating your shrubs and hedges to determine their current condition and the best approach for trimming. If you have specific preferences for height, width, or shape, we discuss those goals and explain what is realistic based on the plant species and current size.

For formal hedges, we use string lines and levels to ensure straight, even cuts. We trim from the bottom up and slightly taper the sides so the base is wider than the top. This allows sunlight to reach lower branches and prevents the hedge from becoming thin and bare at the bottom over time.

Informal shrubs get shaped by hand to maintain their natural growth habit while controlling size. We selectively remove the oldest, largest stems at ground level to encourage fresh growth from the base. This technique, called renewal pruning, keeps shrubs vigorous and full rather than woody and sparse.

After trimming, we thoroughly clean up all clippings and debris. Shrub trimmings can be composted, used as mulch, or hauled away depending on your preference and the amount of material. Your landscape will look immediately better, and plants will respond with healthy new growth. If you need additional services like plant health care, we can incorporate those into your maintenance schedule.

Common Questions About Shrub & Hedge Trimming