How to Cut Laurel Hedges

Wipe your shear's blades down with isopropyl alcohol to disinfect them before each pruning session.

Shape laurel hedges for a more uniform appearance if desired. Take a step back and eyeball the general shape and size you would like your laurel to have. Then take a pair of shears and cut branches all around the laurel until you reach the desired height. As you cut back, give your laurel a rough "A" shape so that the top is slightly more narrow than the bottom. This will allow light to reach the bottom of the laurel and encourage growth. Don't be afraid to cut back as much as you need to. The process is foolproof. If you make any pruning mistakes, the laurel will bounce back in a matter of weeks.

Prune to thicken thin or immature laurel bushes. Look for thin spots in the bush. Then, look for a branch right next to the thin spot. Prune that branch back to 1/4 inch above the nearest lateral stem or leaf growing in the direction of the thin spot. This pruning cut will stimulate growth in the branching stem or leaf right below it. It will put on vigorous growth to fill out the thin spot. Make similar pruning cuts in other branches around the thin spot for quicker fill-ins.

Prune any dead (these no longer grow leaves) or broken branches or stems back to their point of origin or back to the nearest healthy branching stem or leaf.