First hedge cut

Hi gardeners corner

First post here let's see how it goes!
So I planted a hornbeam hedge a year ago double row and is now about 3-4ft tall

I want the hedge to be 6-8 ft ideally so a long way off but how do I make sure the hedge becomes a HEDGE and not a row of trees lol

Should I trim.off the top of the hedge at 4ft and then let grow out or what is the best plan, I can find no advice online!

 

I did nothing to mine until it was around the height I wanted. If they're planted with a good amount per metre - ie 3 to 5, that's the ideal method. If they've been too far apart, that's where the problem would lie.
If it's only been in a year, it's only just getting established, so wouldn't really need anything done to it at this stage, apart from taking back any odd wayward stem a little bit.

 

There is more than one way to reach your goal of a 6-8ft hedge. Cutting the trees all level at 4foot should work out to help them produce more dense branch growth, but assuming the planting distance is OK I would only be trimming off the ends of some of the branches and ones going off in odd directions this year. Hornbeam are tough plants so will probably be able to make a good hedge in time no mater which way you decide to trim them.

Happy gardening!

 

Snap @Macraignil