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Birds supposed to finish nesting before August: cutting hedges

FireFire Posts: 17,116
edited July 2020 in Wildlife gardening
I understand that the rule of thumb is to wait until August to cut hedges as birds may be nesting there until that point. I have some sparrows nesting in a wild pyracanthus hedge at the moment. Is there good evidence that July 31st is the deadline for fledging? Which garden species leave latest?  The hedges are trying to eat my house.

Also - when is the best time to prune in the late winter / early spring? I try and wait till the last min with the pyracanthus so that the birds can eat the berries. This year I waited until mid-Jan and then gave a haircut, hoping it was early enough) no buds that I could see were forming. But no, it was too late and I loped off any potential blossom and had no. So - no flowers or berries this year. If I cut in Nov the birds have not much in the way of berry time. Thoughts please.

Thanks

Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 9,074
    Manual pruning is usually ok. Maybe just snip the odd few bits now and then to avoid disturbing the birds, then give it a proper cut later in the year.
    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 28,848
    The RHS recommends occasional light pruning from spring to mid summer and a final trim for hedges in late summer so you can leave any nesting birds in peace till mid to late August as long as you do the other pruning by hand.

    It also says they flower and fruit on 2yr old wood so you need to be careful to leave some older stems to mature for next year.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    Thanks @Obelixx. The happy pyracanthus is not really suitable for such a small garden front garden. It wants to be a tree. 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 28,848
    Must admit when I grew it in my last garden I planted it on the outside of trellis panels along the fence between us and the pasture next door because I wanted shelter and food for the birds so I only ever pruned the shoots that came round to the seating area I had on the garden side.   Didn't want the thorns!
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    I have inherited it. Whoever planted it was very optimitsic planting a holly tree, three beeches and a pryracntha in a space about 2m hedge between small terraced houses. They are all happy but wish to be ten ft tall. It's definitely a more high maintenance approach to hedging.
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