In article , Nick Maclaren
writes

| A word of caution - if you miss cutting a hawthorn hedge for a year, you
| can no longer do it with a hedge trimmer, you need a saw as well.

Oh, come now! Hawthorn is not a fast growing plant, though it has
hard wood, and 2 year old shoots are FAR too thin to need a saw!
A pair of pruners is the most you would need, and you would rarely
need more than secateurs.

Well, I know that sounds logical! But I need a saw for the upright bits,
and I don't think we've left it more than a year. But may be it's that
one gets a greater urge to reduce the height of the hedge a bit if it's
been left too long?

I still think it's a lot easier in the long run to cut regularly.

Whoever invented nasty prickly hawthorn hedges has a lot to answer for
;-)
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/