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Pruning Beech trees that are meant to be a hedge

stanstystansty Posts: 16
in Plants
Hello, I am after some advice concerning Beech trees that I know were planted as a hedge (

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  • stanstystansty Posts: 16
    Hello, I am after some advice concerning Beech trees that I know were planted as a hedge (
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,295

    Yes, what is it you want to know?

    Have they got too big? or thin at the bottom? or something else



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • stanstystansty Posts: 16
    They are now 20+ft, thin trees. The utility company has already hacked the tops out of half of them where their cable runs overhead and the regrowth was good. I am looking at pruning one side and taking the height down eventually to 6 or 8ft. Is this the right course of action? The last thing I want is a row of thin dead posts.



    Thanks
  • stanstystansty Posts: 16
    For some reason the whole of my message didn't post the first and second times! Thanks for the response
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,295

    I think I'd get the height down first and maybe do one side . Though  beech may be happy if you do the lot. I haven't tried. 



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923

    take the top down and the side facing your house, they'll regrow quickly this year. Then next winter do the opposite side.

    When taking the sides back, cut back to about 4 - 5 inches from the main stem and it'll resprout

  • Steve 309Steve 309 Posts: 2,753

    ...and cut it to a foot or so below where you eventually want the top, to allow it to grow.

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