The native hornbeam was named tree of the year thanks to its robust winter hardiness, undemanding care and good-natured tolerance to pruning. The shrubs are of inestimable value for people and nature as topiary plants when they gather to form a windproof and opaque hedge. The strong growth of the birch family requires the use of hedge trimmers several times a year. This tutorial will guide you step by step through the expert pruning of a hornbeam hedge.
How do I cut a hornbeam hedge correctly?
A hornbeam hedge is best cut into a trapezoid shape with a wide base and a narrow crown. Carry out the planting pruning after autumn planting or in February. Carry out the annual training and later topiary pruning before budding and the care pruning around St. John's Day (June 24th) and mid to late August.
Pruning care until the hedge is old - cutting types at a glance
A hornbeam hedge can get very old. To ensure that the green bulwark maintains a dense foliage well into the hedge's old age, pruning care plays a key role in the care program. The starting signal is given when planting. The following table lists all types of pruning with dates that are important in the long life of a hornbeam hedge.
| Cut style | Goal/Occasion | Appointment option I | Appointment option II |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant cutting | Promoting the growth of the lower shoots | as part of the autumn planting | in February after planting |
| Educational Cut | gradual hedge construction up to the desired final size | January/February before budding | End of June to end of July |
| Topiary/main cut | dense growth from base to tip | January/February before budding | none |
| care cut | well-groomed appearance | around St. John's Day (June 24th) | Mid to late August |
| Rejuvenation cut | revitalize aging hedge | End of January to end of February | none |
It is important to note the current weather when choosing a date. Ideally, cut your hornbeam hedge on acovered, frost-free day Temperatures below -5 degrees Celsius are just as harmful to further growth as direct sunlight on the fresh cuts on shoots and leaves.
Instructions for plant cutting
The best time to plant a hornbeam hedge is autumn, when tree nurseries offer the young trees as inexpensive root products. A hornbeam with a strong central shoot and a height of 60 to 100 centimeters can then be purchased for just 1 euro, which significantly reduces the purchase costs compared to hedge plants in containers. Immediately after planting or in the following spring, the hedge receives the planting cut, as shown in the figure below. How to do it professionally:
- The best tool is clean, sharp secateurs (€28.00 on Amazon) for a controlled cut
- For better orientation, tension the cords for a straight cut
- Cut back the hornbeam hedge by at least half at the top and on all sides
- Cut side shoots intrapezoid shape with a wide base and narrower tip
Have you decided to plant a hedge with container plants? Then we would like to recommend a planting cut for hornbeams. Examine the young bushes closely. If they thrive with a strong central shoot and weak side branches, please be sure to prune even larger specimens.
Cut back young hornbeams by half after planting. This creates a beneficial sap that promotes the growth of the side shoots. When pruning, pay attention to a conical arrangement of the side branches.
Why is a plant cut so important?
It is usually unnecessary for young plants in containers. For bare-rooted young trees, the type of cut is also not necessarily part of the program. Why should plant pruning be a must, especially for a hornbeam hedge? The explanation can be found in the laws of growth, especially in the law of top funding. The following short excursion into the theoretical basics sheds light on the darkness:
In the hornbeam bush, the top buds are supplied with plant juices more intensively than deeper buds. The law applies equally to the individual branch and the entire bush. The aim of the strategy is rapid growth towards the light. At this point, the goals of the plant and the gardener diverge, because the growth process takes place at the expense of the lower shoots, which lose out in terms of nutrient supply. Without pruning, all efforts to create a dense privacy hedge will be in vain.
By cutting back young hornbeamsvigorously afterplanting, the sap pressure is distributed more evenly. This means that the shoots below the interface are permanently strengthened in their growth power. The result is dense branching of the deciduous bushes right from the start. The trapezoidal shape of your hedge is important for light-flooded growth, so that even the lowest branches have access to sunlight and can carry out photosynthesis.
Cutting technique on buds optimizes the plant cut
Manual and motorized hedge trimmers are oversized for planting a hornbeam hedge. On the contrary, using one-handed pruning shears has the convincing advantage of a controlled cutting technique. Since planting pruning focuses on easily visible, young shoots, we recommend targeted pruning on buds. How to do it right:
- The ideal intersection point is 3-5 millimeters above an opposite pair of leaves or buds
- Do not leave a long stub and do not cut into the buds
To measure the correct cutting point, place your free hand directly against the buds at a right angle and place the scissor blades directly above them. As the cut progresses, you will get a good eye for the perfect starting point. The reward for the effort is vital sprouting while at the same time reducing sources of infection through dried-back branch stubs.
Pruning for a dense hedge appearance
An annual pruning guides the hornbeam hedgegraduallyto the desired final height. For this reason, the term built-up pruning is also common among gardeners. The pivotal point is reduced height growth for optimaldistribution of sap pressure across all shoots and buds.
This tutorial would like to save you from the most common beginner's mistake: inexperienced hobby gardeners do not cut the new deciduous hedge at all in the first few years so that it quickly grows large. The devastating result is a barren, unsightly hedge. With a little patience and this training pruning you can build a perfect hornbeam hedge:
- At the beginning, stretch the cords between wooden pegs for an accurate cut in a trapezoid shape
- Leave between 5 and 10 centimeters of new growth with each cut back
- Include the hedge surface and all side walls in the cut
- Continue building gradually until you reach the desired hedge height
The image below demonstrates the gradual construction of a hornbeam hedge. If training extends over several years, the deciduous shrubs also invest their growth in the lower hedge regions. You can easily bridge the waiting time until you get to the opaque green wall with a temporary fence or put up reed mats.
Train a hornbeam hedge gradually into a trapezoid shape. With each cut, a few centimeters of shoot length are added until the desired final height is reached. Cutting twice a year allows the deciduous hedge to branch better.
Magnificent hornbeam hedge thanks to topiary – this is how it works
When the target final height is reached, the pruning care ends in the central topiary of a hornbeam hedge. Newcomers appreciate that beginners' mistakes quickly outgrow, because the hornbeam sprouts reliably even from old wood. Ideally, you combine theTopiarywith aThinning cut so that no dead shoots affect the fresh growth. How to proceed professionally:
- Start by cutting out all the dead wood from the hedge
- Then mark the conical cutting profile with cords or wooden slats
- The ideal cut on the sides of the hedge is from bottom to top
When cutting, please always look at the uncut foliage areas and the marking. If you are working with an electric hedge trimmer, hold the device parallel to the surface with your arms stretched out. On the sides, the movement comes from the shoulders. At the top of the hedge, however, swing the blade bar back and forth from your back. The less you bend your arms, the more even the cut will be.
Immaculately beautiful hedge thanks to summer care pruning - this is how it works
The strong growth of hornbeams requires the use of hedge trimmers at leasttwice a yearfollowing the establishment phase. The main cut in early spring is followed by the summercare cut Green perfectionists even use the scissors three times a season for a flawless appearance in every season. With this cut you will do it right:
- The best date is on St. John's Day, or 2 weeks before or after
- Inspect the hedge carefully in advance forinhabited bird nests in order to reschedule the appointment if necessary
- Use hand or electric scissors to cut off any shoots that stick out of the shape
- Cutting scope is limited to this year's growth
Schedule another pruning for mid-August. In the period that follows, hornbeams only sprout again weakly. As a result, the hedge looks immaculately maintained throughout the winter and carries the dried leaves until the main pruning in spring. From thesecond half of Augustonwards,no pruning measures should take place anymore, as the branches that sprout then do not mature until winter and suffer frost damage.
Tip
Summer pruning of hornbeam hedges can be a dusty affair. Spray the bushes with water in advance. The moisture reduces dust formation, prevents annoying coughs and keeps scissor blades or knife bars sharp longer.
And goodbye aging! – Instructions for the rejuvenation cut
Without regular topiary trimming, the hornbeam hedge turns into a barren, outdated bush. Anyone who is already thinking about clearing has underestimated the tolerance of native deciduous trees to pruning. With a radical rejuvenation cut you can get growth going again. Similar to the planting and training phase, revitalization takes place in several stages, as illustrated in the figure below.
- The best time is a frost-free day between the end of January and the end of February
- First stage: Cut back the top and one side of the hedge to a quarter of the desired height and width
- Second stage: shorten the opposite side of the hedge and flanks
- After each stage, fertilize with 3 liters of compost and 100 grams of horn shavings per square meter
The branches of the first pruning stage are already growing vigorously again by summer and - as with the well-known training pruning - are cut back in June/July to an increase of 5 to 10 centimeters. From the summer after the second rejuvenation stage, the pruning care for the entire hornbeam hedge culminates in a multi-year build-up pruning, as explained in this tutorial.
A bare hornbeam hedge is being revitalized in stages. To rejuvenate, shorten the bushes by three quarters from above and on one side. In the second year, cut back the other side and the flanks. The deciduous hedge is then gradually rebuilt.
Manual or electric? – Tips for the perfect hedge trimmer
Hornbeams are among the large-leaved deciduous trees that ideally benefit from cutting with manual hedge trimmers. It is advantageous that the leaves are cut cleanly. In contrast, leaves and shoots are literally shredded by the opposing blades of a motorized hedge trimmer. The frayed cuts dry up, turn brown and affect the appearance of your hornbeam hedge for a long time.
The decision between manual and motorized hedge trimmers is not least a question of fitness. Cutting a hornbeam hedge up to a length of ten meters is still a pleasure. For hedge lengths beyond this, the use of motorized shears makes sense despite all aesthetic concerns.
Frequently asked questions
Which species of hornbeam is best suited for hedge planting?
The ultimate hornbeam hedge has the botanical name Carpinus betulus. The native wild wood is hardy, tolerates pruning and grows vigorously. An annual growth of up to 40 centimeters ensures that the hedge quickly reaches privacy height. In spring, woolly catkin flowers dangle above the dense foliage. In autumn, the hornbeam species scores with yellow leaves that gradually brown and remain hanging until well into winter. In addition to the optical advantages, there is also cutting compatibility, which doesn't cause any problems even for newcomers.
Can I put a hornbeam hedge on the stick in summer?
The Federal Nature Conservation Act has something against radical cutting measures on bushes and hedges. Paragraph 39 (BNatSchG) states that trees may not be placed on the cane between March 1st and October 1st. The reason for the legal regulation is to protect nesting birds and other wild animals. During this grace period, only light maintenance cuts are permitted, provided you have previously ensured that your hedge does not serve as a nesting site.
Is the hornbeam also suitable as a solitary house tree?
Hornbeams are not limited to their function as hedge plants. Their decorative attributes and undemanding care qualify the native deciduous tree as a representative house tree. The strong-growing wild species Carpinus betulus is less suitable for this purpose. Choose refined varieties here, such as a slender columnar hornbeam 'Fastigiata' or 'Frans Fontaine', which retains its pyramidal crown shape even in old age.
My hornbeam hedge is partially in the shade and has holes there. What can I do?
In the first step, you should cut back all neighboring plants that overshadow your hornbeam hedge. If the hedge otherwise thrives nicely, individual gaps do not require radical rejuvenation. You can close even larger holes using a simple auxiliary structure made of thin bamboo sticks and hose ties. To do this, connect the adjacent branches with the rods. Cut back surrounding shoot tips by a third. Since hornbeams also sprout vitally from old wood, the gaps close quickly. The next time you take care of the incision, you can remove the temporary bridge again.
The 3 most common cutting mistakes
The most common mistake in cutting care has already been mentioned in this tutorial. In addition, home gardeners often make two other mishaps that can affect the growth of a hornbeam hedge. The following table draws attention to the 3 most common cutting errors and provides tips for solving or preventing problems:
| Cutting errors | malicious image | Correction/Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| no planting and training pruning | uneven growth, bare shoots in the lower hedge area | Rejuvenation cut and reconstruction with parenting cut |
| Hedge cut in a rectangular or square shape | premature baldness from the inside out | cutting in a trapezoid shape (wide base, narrow crown) |
| Pruning care with electric hedge trimmer | tattered leaves with brown edges | cut with manual scissors |
Tip
Are you toying with a varied hedge made of deciduous trees that can be cut in a similar way? Then plant hornbeams (Carpinus betulus), field maples (Acer campestre) and beeches (Fagus sylvatica) alternately. The copper beech 'Purpurea' with dark red leaves brings color into play.
