Field maple is the jewel among hedge shrubs. In addition to its magnificent foliage, rapid growth and furious autumn color, home gardeners appreciate its good-natured tolerance of pruning. These instructions will show you how easy it is to cut your field maple hedge into shape.
How do I cut a field maple hedge correctly?
The best time to trim a field maple hedge is in late winter or spring between the end of January and mid-March. First, cut out dead wood, inner, stunted and frozen branches. Then shorten all shoots to the desired length, ideally close to a leaf or bud, ensuring a pyramidal shape.
When is the best time?
A Maßholder already demonstrates his uncomplicated disposition when it comes to scheduling the pruning. You can use scissors several times a year to give your hedge a well-groomed appearance:
- The best time is in late winter and early spring between the end of January and the beginning/mid of March
- Alternative date is in autumn shortly before or after the leaves fall
- After St. John's Day, a light topiary is possible by a maximum of a third
If you intend to have a rejuvenation cut, the legislature has a say. Putting a field maple hedge on the stick is only permitted from January 1st. October to February 28th. It is important to note that it is not freezing on the date itself or that the field maple hedge is not exposed to direct sunlight.
Cutting instructions – How to cut correctly
Unlike other maple species, the Acer campestre tolerates pruning with floral calm. The growth rocket among the deciduous trees even repairs one or two beginner mistakes in no time on its own. Of course it doesn't have to come to that, because the cut is incredibly simple:
- Sharpen and disinfect the cutting tool in advance
- In the first step, cut off all dead wood at the base
- Thin out inward-facing, stunted and frozen branches
- In the second step, shorten all shoots to the desired length
- Ideally place each cut a short distance from a leaf or bud
The optimal cut aims for a pyramidal shape. As the field maple hedge tapers from base to tip, sunlight can reach all branches. This means that fresh shoots and leaves also sprout close to the ground, so that the hedge does not become bare. A good orientation aid is strings that you stretch between wooden stakes that you drive into the two ends of the hedge.
Tip
The best time to plant a field maple hedge is in autumn. The young bushes root quickly in the sun-warmed soil so that they survive the first winter undamaged. The window for planting opens at the beginning of October and remains open until the first frost.
