How to Prune Western Red Cedar Hedges

If starting a hedge from scratch, plant 2 feet apart, staggered, in the spring. Using garden shears, severely trim back almost all growth. Dave Squire, author of "The Pruning Specialist," suggests that if you plant in late summer or early autumn, you should wait until the next year to do the initial pruning to avoid young shoots being damaged by cold winter weather. Wait one season. Use garden shears to cut back half of new growth.

Prune the more mature Western red cedar hedge by cutting off the top leader with loppers. Using pruning shears, remove half of the new growth from lateral branches to encourage bushiness. New growth should not exceed 1 foot. Do not remove more than half of new growth, as evergreens do not respond well to heavy pruning.

Prune any time new growth reaches 1 foot. This could mean pruning either annually or semiannually, depending upon your climate and the hedge's rate of growth. Shape the hedge so that it is slightly wider at the bottom than the top. A narrower top and wider base allows necessary sunlight into the foliage, and a rounded or peaked top sloughs off snow accumulation, saving branches from breakage.