Walk any Fowler residential street and you'll see big front-yard hedge rows, mostly privet, some oleander, a few large ficus. Shape them wrong and they thin out from the bottom. Shape them right and they last decades.
Wider at the base, narrower at the top
This is the rule everyone breaks. Hedges trimmed flat or 'A-shaped' (narrow bottom, wide top) shade their own base and go bare. We always trim with a slight outward taper, base wider than the top, so sunlight reaches the bottom branches.
Two trims a year minimum
Spring (April) for shape, late summer (August) for clean-up. We add a third trim before holidays for Fowler customers who want it picture-perfect.
When to stop trimming and remove
If a hedge is hollowed out, fungus-spotted, or older than 30 years, sometimes the right move is to remove and replant. We'll tell you honestly, we're not here to sell forever-trims on a dying hedge.
Got a Fowler hedge that needs help? Call (559) 480-9299 for a free walk-through.
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