Hedge cutting

newjames

Member
Do your first ones away from prying eyes. Keep the flails sharp and if your hedges are like ours this year with lots of top growth take a quick pass on the top about three inches above where you want to end up. As has been said angle the sides in a bit at the top as it allows more light in to keep the sides thicker
 

Simon Chiles

DD Moderator
The chap who normally does our hedges has left to go to NZ. I fancy giving it ago but after advice please. Start from the ground and work up? How many passes and average speed? Majority of hedges only have a years growth so just a tidy up.

I started cutting hedges not that long ago, I find it easiest to chamfer off the shoulder first. Firstly it’ll allow you to see the height that the hedge has been cut at previously and secondly you can monitor the ground you’re driving on to make sure there aren’t any dips or lumps that might otherwise result in you mistakenly making a new gateway in the hedge. Next I cut the top fairly quickly a couple of inches above the final height and then cut the top again just taking off the last couple of inches, it makes a neater job if you cut the hedge at the same height every year. If you’re new to it it pays to reduce the revs of the pto for this last top pass so that the hedger works smoothly and use bottom gear, if the tractor speed is still a little fast you can swap to 1000 speed pto and run on tickover. I’d then cut the side and finally do a pass on the ground to chop up any bits that have dropped off and tidy the job up. It’s amazing how many don’t do the last pass on the ground yet it can make all the difference to the look of the job.
 
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All depends on the hedges as none are he same, always 2 passes off the top as with a single pass as your left with chopped up bits of hedge laying on the top.
Just go steady and take your time, a lot of people cant hack the job and ive got a few customers who have there own trimmer and still get us in.
Got my second trimmer last year to speed the job up and my wife took to it really well.
 

newjames

Member
View attachment 732612 All depends on the hedges as none are he same, always 2 passes off the top as with a single pass as your left with chopped up bits of hedge laying on the top.
Just go steady and take your time, a lot of people cant hack the job and ive got a few customers who have there own trimmer and still get us in.
Got my second trimmer last year to speed the job up and my wife took to it really well.
Cue the jokes about your wife trimming bushes:eek::ROFLMAO:
 

Agriimark

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Worcestershire
Thanks for all the advice. I hear a lot of people say they dislike cutting but im willing to try as it will be a new challenge and can look back at what i have done, hopefully without making new gateways! We are arable so livestock not a issue. Majority blackthorn and can see where it was cut last time so feeling confident in that sence. Is it best to be in 540 at around 1200rpm? And select a gear i feel comfy at? I will put up some pictures to let you know how i get on [emoji85]
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Thanks for all the advice. I hear a lot of people say they dislike cutting but im willing to try as it will be a new challenge and can look back at what i have done, hopefully without making new gateways! We are arable so livestock not a issue. Majority blackthorn and can see where it was cut last time so feeling confident in that sence. Is it best to be in 540 at around 1200rpm? And select a gear i feel comfy at? I will put up some pictures to let you know how i get on [emoji85]

Personally, I quite like the job, particularly when it’s cold and miserable. Spending the day in a heated tractor with the radio is quite appealing just then.

You can never have enough gateways.(y)
 
Interesting to read hedge trimming tips from different areas! Down here most of the hedges are either side of an earth bank so very often four or five passes wide over the top (dependent upon trimmer width) so I haven't got the time to cut anything more than once. We would usually do two side passes, top passes and follow up with a pass in under to tidy up any weeds / trimmings.

+ 1 for keeping blades sharp for a tidy job though.

Hedges have just about recovered from when I was first let loose with the trimmer about 20 odd years ago (which reminds me, you must remember to TRIM the hedges not murder them!)
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
I always take the top off first and then do the sides, starting at the top and working down.
Angle the sides out a bit so it's wider at the bottom - the bottoms of hedges don't grow as much as the tops. Depending on the tractor, you'll want to be in the lowest gears.
If you've not done any before, start in the slowest gear you've got - it'll give you more time to master working 4 levers with your left hand like some demented pianist(y)
yeah, i sometimes do top first if theres stuff thats gonna flop down and i can see roughly where.

joystick these days, bit better for yer arhtritis :cry:
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Cut the hedges every other year. Not 50% of the work load but why deny the birds their winter berries just for a bit of vanity? I don't cut mine until after Christmas except a few that get done just before harvest near blind gateways or on narrow lanes. You'll need to keep the flails sharp for 2 year growth and drive slowly to make a tidy job.
 

Agriimark

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Worcestershire
Personally i would do half 1 year half the next but we farm over 6000ha and dont even come close to doing a quarter of that so plenty of berries for the birds. It is more for acess. Roadsides etc
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Personally i would do half 1 year half the next but we farm over 6000ha and dont even come close to doing a quarter of that so plenty of berries for the birds. It is more for acess. Roadsides etc

Would you say that your hedges are getting well away from you or do you just saw blade them down every few years?
 

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