On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 11:43:27 +0000, Chris Boulby
wrote:

In message , Neil Robertson
writes
I have just moved house and have a large privet hedge standing 8 feet high
and probably 4 feet wide! I would like to keep the hedge there for the time
being to give us privacy but can I prune it really hard, say 6 feet high and
reduce the width by 2 feet? Will it grow green again? If so when would be
the best time to prune?

Diane

It is fine to prune privet by the amount your propose, and it will thank
you for it (to say nothing of your neighbours!). And you can do it
anytime at all, and will soon sprout again. Its a very easy hedge in
that respect, but it benefits from frequent clipping (about every two
months in growing season) to stay trim and slim.

If the hedge is really over grown you can save a lot of effort by
starting with a branch cutter.
--
Martin