Our Best Guide To Using a Hedge Trimmer

Keeping your hedge fence in your garden neat is very important for its growth, and using a hedge trimmer to do this makes the process simple and quick, allowing you to have control over the shape and design of your hedge. 

Although using a hedge trimmer is straightforward, you should always familiarise yourself with the type of trimmer you are using, take safety precautions and think about your design before starting to trim. 

We have put together a small guide below that will give you everything you need to know about using a hedge cutter for the first time. 

Different Types Of Hedge Trimmers 

First of all, before we can dig into how to use your hedge trimmer for the first time, you should understand the different types on the market and how they work. 

• Electric Hedge Trimmer - Electric corded hedge trimmer machine models are very popular and easy to use, they don't need a lot of maintenance and are very affordable to use too for hedge maintenance. The only downfall of these hedge fence trimmers is the restricting cord.
• Cordless Hedge Trimmer - An electrical cordless type of hedge trimmer operates with a battery and has more freedom than a corded trimmer, they are also great for the environment with no emissions, you should remember to keep the battery charged, however.
• Gas Hedge Trimmer - Gas-powered hedge trimmers are some of the most powerful types of hedge fence trimmers on the market, these gas-powered hedge trimmers however do release dangerous emissions into the air. 

Safety Precautions For Using a Hedge Trimmer 

Pole hedge trimmers can be very dangerous power tools to use if you don't know how to operate them correctly, we have listed some of our top essential safety tips for operating your regular hedge trimmer with safety below as a beginner so as you can make great-looking hedges safely. 

• Clean your workspace - Before starting any hedge trimmings you should ensure that the area around you is clear and free of obstructions, look out for bird nests and children and make sure there is nothing on the floor you can trip over accidentally while operating the machine.
• Wear good safety gear - Safety goggles, protective guard and ear protection should all be worn while operating a pole hedge trimmers machine, debris can fly off while you are trimming a tall hedge and harm you, make sure heavy-duty clothing is worn too.
• Lubricate the trimmer blades - It's a good idea to lubricate the blades of your trimmer to ensure they will cut through hedges smoothly and not get stuck.

Our Step By Step Guide To Using a Hedge Cutter

Using a hedge trimmer for the first time can be a little never wracking if you are a beginner, we have put together a simple step by step guide below for using your cutter to help you out. 

• Step one - Before you turn on the power source for your hedge trimmer make sure you know the design that you want for your hedge. Decide whether you want to make your hedge decorative or as a thicker privacy hedge beforehand so as you can know how you want to use the trimmer.
• Step two - Startup your trimmer by plugging in the power cord or loading fuel if a gas trimmer and begin trimming your hedge starting from the base working your way up to the top of the hedge. Keep the trimmer steady and make shallow passes, angle the hedge wider at the bottom so as sunlight will be able to access it. 
• Step three - Cut the top of the hedge flat with the trimmer in a straight line with the horizontal hedge trimmer blade, you can then prune any dead branches or overgrown branches inside of the hedge with your trimmer. 
• Step four - Sweep up any dead loose branches and or leaves from the hedge plants after trimming from the hedge surface, do not remove any safety gear until the powered hedge trimmer has been turned off.

Final Words 

Overall, using a hedge trimmer can be fun and simple once you get the hang of it, you can even try experimenting with tapered shape on your larger hedges and promote healthy growth for your bush by trimming it often. 

For tough hedges with overgrown branches, we recommend using a type of power such as gas trimmers to tackle your hedge, but for thinner branches, a cordless hedge trimmer should be able to do the job.