WHEN AND HOW TO PRUNE HEBES

When and how to prune hebes

The many Hebe species and varieties available can make for a fantastic addition to the suburban garden. In fact a total 20 cultivars so far have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. They are all evergreen, mostly half-hardy and suitable for temperate climates. Although popular in northern Europe, be aware that they will not thrive in regions subject to prolonged freezing temperatures.

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They are generally slow growing, but overtime many of them can outgrow their position. So in order to maintain balance and harmony within in the garden space just when to you prune hebes, and how exactly do you do it?

As a rule no regular pruning is necessary, but the best time to prune Hedges is immediately after flowering. That way you get to deadhead them at the same time. Remove approximately 10 cm on small varieties and 15 to 25 cm on the larger ones.

Remove any dead or frost damaged stems or branches in spring or as they appear, and always cut to a bud growing further down the stem.

Tall, leggy specimens can be pruned back hard in April, again to a bud, which will encourage new shoots to break from the base. This should be done in stages as mature plants have been known to fail. So rather than prune the plant in one go, stagger it over a period of time. Cut back 1/3 of the bush in any one go, giving the plant time to start new growth before pruning back the next section.

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WHEN AND HOW TO PRUNE HEBES
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