Can I slice a small bit off the trunk of my privet hedge without damaging it?

ailey

I'm fitting in some 2 foot stone edging beside my paving slabs which have a strong privet hedge running alongside. The hedge is very well established and has possibly been growing for 60 years or so. Three of the trunks are a bit too close to the slabs and I've had to slice a bit off one trunk to allow the edging to be dropped in between the slab and the hedge trunk. I have to do the same further along with another couple of trunks. I just wonder if someone can tell me if I'm going to cause problems for the hedge by doing this as it's the only way i can continue the edging going in all together without gaps. I've also had to cut through a root and remove it but there are so many trunks at the first part I cut that I'm hoping it won't cause it any harm. I greatly appreciate any advice. Many thanks.

Davesnave

You could do almost anything to the privet and it would bounce back. Obviously there might be a few temporary gaps resulting, but it will soon fill-in again.

Good job on the paving BTW.

ailey

Thanks so much for your reply. I really appreciate you taking the time to do that!
We did get someone to do the paving for us and we're delighted with the job he did. He came well recommended and lived up to expectations lol. I just wish I had decided to put the border edging in when he was doing the paving. I thought it might block the water running off but I eventually decided that it will still find it's way through as the edging won't be cemented in. It's to block the soiled being brushed out when brushing up the hedge trimmings as it was such a nuisance the last time I did this. Will be so much easier now.

I'm glad that slicing 3 pieces of trunk won't do permanent damage. That's what I was hoping when I sliced the first one. Now for today's other two.

Thanks again!

twopenny

I used to put an old sheet of some sort tucked along the hedge before trimming.

Then it was just picking it up and tipping the trimmings into a bin. Only a very little bit of sweeping.

ailey

twopenny said:

I used to put an old sheet of some sort tucked along the hedge before trimming.

Then it was just picking it up and tipping the trimmings into a bin. Only a very little bit of sweeping.

Good idea. I'll suggest that to hubby the next time he cuts the hedge as that would save a lot of brushing. Thanks for your help.

McKneff

Great job on the paving....

ailey

McKneff said:

Great job on the paving....

Thank you. We got a well recommended person to do the paving. I wish we could take the credit lol. We're delighted with it though. I wasn't sure whether or not to use the stone edging from our old flower border and now I wish I had decided to make use of it while the man was doing the paving. A more difficult job now as I have to chip away at the cement which has oozed out from under the slabs and set in the soil but I'm slowly getting there. The slabs are Raj Blend if anyone is interested in them.