Trimming to often??

[AutoTrimmer]

Hi all!


I am in the process of developing, from what we can see, the world's first Auto Robot Hedge Trimmer.

But there is one thing we cannot find an answer to anywhere. Is it possible to overtrim a Thuja, or other winter green hedges? I mean, don't trim it in, but trim it once or twice a week, to maintain the desired height and width of the hedge.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I thought 'Twice a week???', looked and found this,

"Thuja is an easy to grow, unfussy, evergreen conifer similar in appearance to Leylandii but slower growing, making it easier to maintain as a hedge or screen. .... Thuja plants will tolerate hard pruning, typically growing back even if you cut into older wood. ..... Trim once a year in autumn or twice a year to give a more formal appearance with very sharp lines."

I have cut out some irrelevant bits. I trim the leylandi between me and next door three, maybe four, times a year.

 

[AutoTrimmer]

Im my jard I have 100 meters of thuja. I have cut 30 meters of this down by half, and on one side inn to the stem. And it still survived. Its not pretty, but its stil alive.

The rest of the hedge is trimmed twice each season. But it only "prefect" one week after trimming, after this there is new sprounts all over.

The reason I ask, is that from what we can find, there is no other robot that can autotrim a hedge, like a robot mower do on a lawn. So I cant find any study, of experience regarding trimming hedges once or twise a week, and what kind of hedges can handle this. And if there is any negative consequenses to trimming often.

 

[Sheal]

Welcome AutoTrimmer.

Thuja is one of the few members of the conifer family that can be trimmed without permanent damage. Most, this includes pines, do not re-grow if cut back too often, especially into the hard wood. I tend to think that consistent trimming as you are suggesting, would eventually create hard wood very close to the surfaces of the Thuja and would make it impossible to use a robotic trimmer, unless it can cut into the hard wood.

Other types of evergreen (or winter green as you say) like Laurel or Ilex would definitely suffer the effects of such constant pruning.

May I ask, why you feel the need to trim the hedge so often?

 

[AutoTrimmer]

Welcome AutoTrimmer.

Thuja is one of the few members of the conifer family that can be trimmed without permanent damage. Most, this includes pines, do not re-grow if cut back too often, especially into the hard wood. I tend to think that consistent trimming as you are suggesting, would eventually create hard wood very close to the surfaces of the Thuja and would make it impossible to use a robotic trimmer, unless it can cut into the hard wood.

Other types of evergreen (or winter green as you say) like Laurel or Ilex would definitely suffer the effects of such constant pruning.

May I ask, why you feel the need to trim the hedge so often?

Thanks for you answer.
Well as I try to explain in my Norwegian/Englihs way of writhing, Thuja is a beautifull hedge........ right after you have trimmed it, and a few days after. But after a week or so, it is starting to show new sprounts. At least the most common one here in Norway, Thuja Brabant.

So there is a couple of reasons why I want to cut so often.

1. The hedge will look new trimmed, and beautifull at all times, in the growth season.
2. Cutting new sprouts will remove the need to transort the wast after trimming. Becasue the waste after very frequent trimming will be very small, it will just fall down and become fertilizer.
3. By having a robot do this for me, regularly, I`ll save both time and my shoulders.

 

[Sheal]

You're English is very good, certainly a lot better than my Norwegian.

I can understand the reasoning in your reply but I'm not so sure it's healthy for the hedge to be trimmed so often. Perhaps others here may have an opinion.

 

[AutoTrimmer]

You're English is very good, certainly a lot better than my Norwegian.

I can understand the reasoning in your reply but I'm not so sure it's healthy for the hedge to be trimmed so often. Perhaps others here may have an opinion.

Hehe! Thanks

 

[cpp gardener]

Once a week is the most we do here on fast growing shrubs like Pittosporum and privet. I can’t imagine trimming Thuja more than twice a month at most. It will survive, but maybe get a bit ‘hard’ after awhile.

 

[AutoTrimmer]

Talked to a gardner here in Norway today. She told me no issues with trimming once or twice a week with our soulution. But she did not sse the ponit. She told me maybe once every 10 to 14 days, to maintain.

 

[Sheal]

I tend to agree with the gardener. 10 to 14 days seems reasonable to me as there would be very little growth in that time. I have a friend living in Sweden who also has Thuja hedging. If it helps I will make contact with him and put your ideas forward. Hopefully I'll have a reply by the end of this week for you.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Hi all!


I am in the process of developing, from what we can see, the world's first Auto Robot Hedge Trimmer.

But there is one thing we cannot find an answer to anywhere. Is it possible to overtrim a Thuja, or other winter green hedges? I mean, don't trim it in, but trim it once or twice a week, to maintain the desired height and width of the hedge.

Hmmm. More than once every few years seems overdoing it.

 

[AutoTrimmer]

Hmmm. More than once every few years seems overdoing it.

In 2 years, my Thuja have grown over 1,2 meter. We have to minimum trim 2 times a year. Or it will get to thik branshes. If I cut 1 every few years, it will be 5 meter tall and 3 meters wide in withing two trimmings.

 

[DirtMechanic]

In 2 years, my Thuja have grown over 1,2 meter. We have to minimum trim 2 times a year. Or it will get to thik branshes. If I cut 1 every few years, it will be 5 meter tall and 3 meters wide in withing two trimmings.

They have not matured?