If it’s cool out, throw on a long-sleeved shirt and pants to play it safe. This isn’t a super dangerous process or anything, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Use a whetstone to sharpen the blade on hedge shears if it looks dull.
A standard household cleaner also works in a pinch. [6] X Research source
Never use an electric trimmer above shoulder height. If your shrubs are exceptionally tall, use regular shears to cut the taller portions of your shrubs. Privet can grow up to 15 feet (4. 6 m) if you don’t prune regularly, so try to prune often enough that you don’t need that orchard ladder. [8] X Research source
If it’s an especially dry season or a colder summer, you may only need to prune once to keep your hedges in check.
The collar is the thicker portion of the branch where it feeds into the main stem. Leave this portion intact to keep the shrub healthy. [11] X Research source
You can start at any part of the plant you’d like. If the shrub is so big that you need a step ladder to reach the top of the plant, clear out the stuff around eye level and below first. This way, your knees won’t get poked by branches as you’re trimming the top of the plant.
You may need to prune formal hedges more often if you really want them to keep their shape. [14] X Research source
Don’t cut out any branches with lots of smaller offshoots if they have healthy leaves. You’re just looking for bare branches here.
If you’re formally pruning the shrub to be a specific shape, feel free to skip this step. Just keep in mind that you may need to prune monthly to maintain that fancy shape. [19] X Research source
If your shrub isn’t too big for you and it isn’t close to overgrowing, you do not need to hard prune. Hard pruning is the process of cutting all healthy branches back to encourage growth in the growing season. Hard pruning is often referred to as renewal, or renovation pruning. If you’re worried about the aesthetic impact of cutting your shrub down, only do one side of the hedge this year. Next year, do the other side.
A lot of common sense comes into play here. If a branch seems unhealthy, oddly-shaped, or too big, it’s a good candidate for pruning.
If you can’t reach the stems because there are a bunch of branches blocking your path, feel free to cut them back to make a path. You’re going to trim a lot of that stuff back anyway.
If you aren’t sure if a branch is dead, scratch it with your pruning saw or shears. If it’s brittle and brown, it’s dead. If it’s green and softer, it’s still healthy. [26] X Research source
If any of the main stems are too tall, cut them down from the base. However, if this will remove a seriously large portion of the plant, just cut right above any outward facing bud to shorten it.
If the last season’s frost hasn’t passed, wait on this. You should only do this once its warm enough to water your plant.
Don’t pool the mulch up around the trunk of each stem. Just spread it out in a smooth, even layer. The mulch shouldn’t cover the base of any stems, just the soil. [31] X Research source
