How much should a newly planted privet hedge be cut back?

4 years ago

I just planted a hedge of California privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) along the fence around our pool. The individual plants are about 5-6 feet tall and we planted them about 18 inches apart. I've seen a fair share of scraggly privet hedges -- something I want to avoid. I'd like to do whatever I can to grow a healthy, dense hedge. I've found a lot of basic information on year-to-year care, but not about how much the first cut back should be after planting a new hedge. The most extreme information I've heard was from a Cornell Cooperative Extension representative who said I should cut the newly planted 5-6 feet tall bushes back to 6-12 inches in height(!), that this is the only way to promote thick growth from the bottom up, and that there's no going back if I don't do this now. Any privet experts out there who can opine on this?? How much should I cut back the newly planted hedge? I'd love to become a bit of an expert on California privet so that I can grow a handsome, dense hedge. Any helpful tips and/or referrals to books or other resources will be much appreciated!!

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Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
every leaf is an energy making machine .. to grow a mature root mass .. so you can cut on them all you want ...

imo.. if you cut off the energy making machines.. on NEWLY PLANTED plants ... then you will set back root establishment ... and the ultimate achievement of your goal ... which i presume is a sight line block.. not just random pruning ...

whats your hurry ...

water properly and then we can think about severe pruning in fall .. maybe ..

you didnt tell us where you are.. big city name .. i suppose i could guess CA based on plant choice.. but ive been burned before on guessing ...

and i dont really think you need to be focusing on info exactly specific to your plants ... this would be general transplanting protocol ...

gardening is an art ... you seem to be wanting to make it a science ...

there is little instant gratification in nature.. unless you put up a wall... and thats not ma nature ...

ken

ps: one might think would want to become a holly expert. .. lol .. but whatever ...
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years ago
"gardening is an art ... you seem to be wanting to make it a science ..."

Garden or landscape design is an art.........the actual growing of a garden is entirely science!!

But I would agree that you do not want to do any serious pruning yet. You need to allow time for the plants to become established. Hard pruning is best done in late winter just before any new growth develops. You do not need to be very radical or severe in approach - I wouldn't take back more than 1/3 - but you will want to focus on shaping, making sure the base of the shrub is slightly wider than the top....sort of an 'A'-line shape.

After any initial hard prune, a light shearing a couple times a season (May - August) will help to keep things tidy and encourage dense growth. But that needs to wait until after the plants are properly established. Creating a thick, dense hedge doesn't happen all at once. It will take a few growing seasons before it matches your expectations.
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lindac92
4 years ago
Once the plants are established and growing well, prune half the new growth. That time might come in June of 2022.

And remember to keep and hedge type of plant from getting leggy and scant at the bottom, always prune/shape narrower at the top than at the bottom, so sunlight gets to the bottom leaves.