All hedges have their best season for trimming, but when the day comes to reduce a hedge that’s got out of bounds, winter is the time. This is a major dismantling job, which requires careful forethought followed by a big push. There is much to be said, especially with evergreens such as yew and holly, for tackling the job in annual stages-one side this year, the other next-in order to allow time for recovery. Once the desired outline is reached, clean out the bottom and get ready to water and mulch in the spring. Victory is at hand.

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