when can i cut back hedges?

[valerian11]

I have a beech hedge and a leylandii hedge which have both become a bit too big. Can I be ruthless when cutting them back and when is the best time to do it?

[echokilo]

No sure about beech but my dad has always cut their leylandii hedge whenever he had time and the weather was good - no harm has come ot the hedge as it's nealy as old as me (35) and a good haircut seems to helop it for the next growing season... so I don't think the timing matters, perhaps because it's evergreen...

[Maypole]

Good time to do evergreen hedges now as theyll recover a little to look nice for the winter but keep their shape.

[Bromsgrove]

You are just about in time to cut both before the weather gets too cold. You can give both a good cut, but with the Leylandii make sure you not cut into old wood as it will get die back rather than new growth in spring.

[adjer]

I have both beech & leyland. I cut the beech early August & the leyland mid August. Be careful not to cut back the foliage too far back at the sides. If you do it will not regrow the foliage & it will look dead. The top you can cut to suit yourself. In this way you only have to cut the hedges once a year. adjer.

[Hcaterpillar]

You can be quite ruthless when cutting them back but leylandii won't return green growth from stems that you've cut back into the brown.
The nesting season in the UK is between March and August and the RSPB recommend you don't cut at this time, to protect nesting birds. It's actually an offense to cut a hedge that you know birds are nesting in!
It's a lot easier to cut hedges when they are dormant in the winter anyway. I cut hedges from September to February
http://www.gardening-...t.php?4-Hedge-cutting