I have a fairly new (3 years) Portuguese Laurel hedge down the side of my driveway. Each tree is still fairly defined (A-Shape); and are about 12 feet tall now. I would like to maintain that natural shape to show individual trees that just barely touch each other, rather than a solid hedge. There is a lot of new growth happening now. What is the best way to prune to get the effect I want? Use a hedge trimmer and cut up and down the sides of each tree, or use a hand pruner and cut individual branches. My worry is that a hedge trimmer (electric) would create ragged partial leaves.
Go buy a 2 cycle gas hedge trimmer. Preferably one with a long shaft. You won't regret the cost. Some-thing like an Echo or Stihl hedge saw. The blades are TIGHT and sharp and you will not get that ragged look that your cheap electric saw with small teeth gives you. That hedge is too much to hand prune. Also, how will you maintain it when you are older?
A hedge trimmer will give you a hedge, not a natural tree-form. However, if you do want to keep the laurels from growing together, you will need to make them separate rounded hedges; Portuguese laurels get quite big in tree form. It would be a lot of work to constantly prune the edges to keep them from growing into one another. I wouldn't worry too much about the sliced, ragged leaves if this is what you are going for, Portuguese laurels flush out new leaves enough that the cut leaves will quickly be covered by new, full leaves.
There is one main flush in spring, if you shear this back or off now then you are more or less set for a year. Additional scattered growth later in the growing season is not likely to be of sufficient volume to be a problem except where a crisp geometric outline is being maintained. Summer irrigation may also promote more secondary shooting than would occur otherwise.
I'm in the same boat with Portugese Laurels - have 7 (in a zigzag pattern) that are now about 10' tall or higher. Reading your answers, I don't think I can keep them as individual trees (I'm 57 and have more than enough pruning to do already!). I will shear them to keep the undulating shape; however, I have a question about topping the trees - they are now interfering with the power lines. Is there some special way to top them, or just lop them off? Thank you! Diane p.s. You all gave me great advice about my "not so happy" acers last year. :)
Make a straight clean topping cut on a 45 degree angle. If you can angle the cut on the side of the hedge you don't see, then you can hide your cuts. That way you won't see the white of the trunk. On a safety note: If a tree or shrub is growing into the power lines, it is recommended that a Certified Utility Arborist is employed. Look Up And Live.
