By Jensen
Oxfordshire,
United Kingdom 
Can you do a hard prune on a beech hedge now, at this time of year? Our hedge is 9 feet high, and we want to have it cut down by about 2 and a half feet. The Royal Horticultural Society website says that the right time of year for this is February. However, someone who came to look at it and give us a quote tells us that you can do it now. I am not sure how much they really know, and I welcome advice from members here.
16 Sep, 2013
Answers
Various books/websites say you can trim up to the end of August but hard pruning is best done in February/March
16 Sep, 2013
Agree with the RHS and MG/Anchorman. The reason you don't cut hard now is because you don't want to force new, soft growth just before winter sets in; it won't have time to harden off. Get your guy to do it at the right time, not now.
16 Sep, 2013
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My understanding is that February/March is the time to hard prune a beech hedge not now.
16 Sep, 2013