Western hemlock: when and how to prune

Western hemlock: when to prune it?

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A specimen needs no pruning. Clip a hedge in June and, if you like, again in late August.

What else to prune in those months? June · August

Western hemlock: how to prune it?

1. Clip a hedge slightly tapered: wider at the base than at the top, so light also reaches the lower branches.
2. Cut only into young, green growth; never cut deep into old, bare wood, as it rarely shoots again there.
3. On a specimen keep one leader and remove double leaders.
4. Remove dead or damaged branches, even outside the pruning season.

How much to cut, and how often?

• There are 2 pruning periods a year: June and August. You don’t have to prune in every one.
• Never remove more than about a quarter of the crown at once. Better a little every year.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in June and August can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Common mistakes

• Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
• Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Eastern hemlock
• Almond tree
• Apple tree
• Apricot tree
• Beech
• Cherry tree

Plant profile: Western hemlock · Pruning calendar and basic rules