In south-east Queensland, most hedges grow fastest from spring to autumn and need a trim every six to ten weeks through that period to stay dense and in shape. Heavy cut-backs are best done in spring, and hard cuts in the hottest weeks of summer are best avoided.
Here's how that works for the hedges we see most often around Moreton Bay.
Trimming schedule for common local hedges
| Hedge | How often (warm months) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Murraya (orange jessamine) | Every 6–8 weeks | Trim after flowering flushes if you want the perfume. Recovers well from hard cuts in spring |
| Lilly pilly | Every 6–10 weeks | Regular trims remove leaves damaged by pimple psyllid |
| Viburnum | Every 8–10 weeks | Dense and forgiving; good for tall screens |
| Duranta | Every 6–8 weeks | Fast growing; some types are thorny |
| Photinia | Every 8–10 weeks | Trim to encourage red new growth |
| Westringia | 2–3 times a year | Native, low hedge; avoid cutting into bare wood |
In winter, most hedges only need a light tidy, if anything.
When to cut back hard
If a hedge has got too tall or wide, or has gone bare at the bottom, a hard renovation cut can bring it back. Do it in spring. The plant then has the whole growing season to shoot new growth, and it'll be dense again by summer's end. Murraya and lilly pilly both respond well to this.
For very overgrown hedges, reduce in stages. Take the height down first, then do one side at a time over a season, so the plant keeps enough leaf to recover. Be careful with conifers, which generally won't regrow from bare wood.
When not to trim
- During heatwaves: freshly exposed leaves inside the hedge can scorch
- Just before a flowering flush, if you want the flowers
- Heavy cuts in late autumn and winter, when regrowth is slow and the hedge stays bare for months
- When birds are nesting in the hedge: wait until they've finished
How to get a dense hedge
The most common mistake is cutting a hedge wider at the top than the bottom. The top shades the lower branches, which lose their leaves and go bare. Trim so the base is slightly wider than the top, and light will reach all the way down.
Trimming little and often also keeps a hedge denser than occasional big cuts, because each trim makes the plant branch out just behind the cut.
Hedges and storm season
Before storm season, check hedges and shrubs near the house. Branches touching the roof, gutters or walls can damage flashings, block gutters with leaves and give pests a path onto the roof. Cutting them back in late winter or spring solves the problem before the storms arrive. See our storm season yard checklist.
Feeding and watering after a trim
A hedge that's trimmed regularly is constantly producing new growth, which uses a lot of energy. A slow-release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer keeps it dense and green, and a layer of mulch over the root zone helps hold moisture through dry spells. After a hard cut, water well for the first few weeks while the new shoots develop.
Yellowing leaves on murraya and lilly pilly are often a sign of hunger or poor drainage, not disease. Feeding and improving drainage usually fixes it.
Hedges and neighbours
Boundary hedges often grow over the fence. It's worth agreeing with your neighbour how high the hedge should be kept and who trims which side, before it becomes a problem. If you'd like both sides done at the same visit, we'll need the neighbour's permission to access their side.
Want your hedges done properly?
We trim hedges and screens across Brendale and Moreton Bay, and take all the clippings away.
- Hedge Trimming: Clean, even hedge trimming and shrub pruning for privacy screens, formal hedges and overgrown boundaries.
- Garden Maintenance: Weeding, pruning, mulching and general garden care on a regular schedule, so beds stay neat through every season.
- Green Waste Removal: Yard clean-ups and green waste removal: branches, prunings, palm fronds, leaves and storm debris taken away.