Although an ivy hedge or an ivy fence doesn't need much care, you shouldn't miss out on regular pruning. If you don't cut ivy, the climbing plant will become too overgrown. In addition, diseases can spread more easily.
When and how should you cut an ivy hedge?
An ivy hedge should ideally be cut in spring (end of April/beginning of May) or shortly before autumn (end of August). Use clean hedge trimmers and cut ivy back to 20cm high. Always wear gloves to avoid contact with toxins.
Why do you need to trim ivy hedges regularly?
- Keeping the hedge in shape
- Avoid wild growth
- Preventing diseases
- stimulate new leaf growth
- more beautiful flowers on older plants
If you simply let ivy climb, the hedge will quickly lose its shape. The shoots fall down when they have reached the full height of the trellis. The hedge becomes very dense and the leaves inside dry out and the shoots become bald.
With very dense hedges, it quickly happens that fungal spores spread and the ivy hedge is later covered by an ugly film. By cutting back you also stimulate the formation of new green leaves.
If there are children or animals in the family, you must cut back the hedge before the fruit has developed. However, this only happens with the age form. The berries are highly poisonous. In addition, the ivy seeds itself over it and forms new offshoots everywhere in the garden.
The best time to cut the ivy hedge
Basically, you can cut an ivy hedge all year round as long as it doesn't freeze.
The best times are spring at the end of April / beginning of May and just before autumn from the end of August.
If possible, cut on a day that is not too sunny. The humidity should not be too high either.
Ivy tolerates severe pruning without any problem
You can easily cut ivy back to a height of 20 centimeters. It can also be easily cut into figures. It's best to work with hedge trimmers (€21.00 on Amazon) that you've cleaned well beforehand.
Always cut ivy with gloves
Ivy contains toxins that can be harmful even when they come into contact with bare skin. Therefore, always wear gloves when cutting your ivy hedge.
Tip
Ivy hedges are very popular with birds because the dense plants are ideal for hidden nests. Before you reach for the scissors, check whether birds have nested and, if necessary, postpone the pruning for a while.
