When to trim hedges in Melbourne.

Two main trims a year, spring and autumn, plus light tidies for fast growers. The timing matters more than the tool.

Updated 9 October 2026

Trimming a hedge with a hedge trimmer (stock photo)

The short answer: trim most Melbourne hedges twice a year, in spring and again in autumn. Fast growers need light tidies in between. Trim flowering hedges straight after they flower, and hold off in a heatwave, in frosty weather for tender plants, and wherever birds are nesting.

Here’s how to time each cut, and what to do when a hedge has got away from you.

The two main trims: spring and autumn

Gardening Australia’s hedge advice is to prune ongoing growth in autumn and again in spring. In Melbourne that usually means:

Spring (September to November): the main shaping trim, as the new season’s growth gets going.
Autumn (March to May): a second trim to tidy up summer’s growth before the cooler months.

Before a spring trim, look closely for flower buds. Gardening Australia suggests checking that none are forming before you cut, or this season’s flowers end up in the green bin.

Native hedges such as westringia and grevillea suit an autumn tip prune. Gardening Australia’s native pruning segment gives a window of autumn “until the end of April” for these plants.

How often fast growers need a tidy

Two trims a year suits most established hedges. Fast growers need more. For a young hedge, Gardening Australia’s “Hedge Fun” segment suggests a trim every three to four months in its second year, or twice a year for slow growers.

How fast is fast? Gardening Australia notes that Pittosporum tenuifolium can grow about a metre a year. The owner of a Dandenong Ranges garden with around 50 hedges told the show that fast growers such as pittosporum are hard work.

Regular light trims are easier to live with than one big catch-up cut. Each visit takes off only the new growth, so there’s less green waste each time and the hedge keeps its shape. If keeping up is the hard part, regular hedge trimming on a schedule agreed with you takes it off your list.

Prefer to talk? Call or text 0415 386 399. We reply within 12 business hours.

Flowering hedges: trim after they flower

Trim a flowering hedge at the wrong time and you cut off the flowers. Gardening Australia’s spring pruning segment suggests trimming spring-flowering hedges such as laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) and photinia straight after they finish flowering. Taking off the spent flowers then also encourages thick, bushy growth.

The same thinking works for other flowering hedges: find out when yours flowers, and trim once the flowers are done. Camellia sasanqua, for example, flowers each autumn, so a routine autumn trim would cut off its buds.

When to hold off

In a heatwave. Skip the hottest days. If a hedge gets scorched, Gardening Australia’s advice is to leave the damaged leaves on, because they shade the growth below. Prune once the chance of more hot weather has passed.
In frosty weather, for tender plants. In cooler areas, Gardening Australia suggests waiting until all danger of frost has passed before pruning lilly pillies. Its spring pruning advice for a frost-tender shrub is the same: wait for new growth and for the frosts to finish.
When birds are nesting. All native birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975, and removing a nest that birds are using needs an authorisation. Check inside the hedge for nests before you start, especially in spring, the breeding season for swooping birds such as magpies. Leave any section with a nest in use until the birds have moved on.

Trimming for a dense, even hedge

A hedge looks best when it’s full right down to the ground. These tips come from Gardening Australia’s hedge segments:

Start young. Cut the leading shoot soon after planting and take off some side growth. That keeps a young hedge thick right down to the ground instead of leggy at the base.
Match the tool to the leaf. Hedges with small, tight leaves can be sheared for a clean, dense finish. Larger-leaved plants are better cut with secateurs.
Use string lines for a formal hedge. Set stakes and string lines, trim the top first, then the sides. Cut thick branches with secateurs or loppers for a cleaner cut and better recovery.
Feed after a big trim. A feed after pruning helps the hedge recover and regrow.

Overgrown hedges: cutting back hard

Whether a hedge can be cut back hard depends on the plant.

Many natives and lilly pillies can take it. Gardening Australia lists bottlebrushes, correas and lilly pillies among plants that can be cut back hard to rejuvenate them. Cut back to a point where there are new shoots.
Most conifers can’t. Gardening Australia warns that most conifers don’t resprout from old wood. Cut into the bare centre and you can be left with a bald patch, so keep conifer trims light.
Big reductions are best done in stages. In one Gardening Australia segment, a 27-year-old hornbeam hedge was brought back over three years: the top first, then one face, then the other, so the plants survived.

A severe cut can expose bare wood or set a plant back for a long time. If you’re not sure what your hedge will take, get advice before anyone takes a big cut.

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Noise hours and neighbours

EPA Victoria sets the times you can’t use noisy equipment at home. Mowers, petrol tools, electric power tools and other electric garden tools share the same hours. Don’t use them:

on weekdays before 7 am or after 8 pm
on weekends and public holidays before 9 am or after 8 pm.

Noise complaints about homes go to your local council, not the EPA.

If a hedge hangs over a fence, Victoria Legal Aid says property owners are responsible for branches that overhang a neighbour’s fence. It suggests talking with your neighbour before anything is cut. If you can’t agree, the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria can help.

Booking a trim

We offer hedge trimming across Melbourne. We agree the height and shape with you before any cutting starts, and your written quote says how the clippings are handled. If a hedge needs specialist tree work, we’ll tell you rather than treat it as ordinary trimming.

Want trims to happen without you thinking about them? A regular visit can cover hedges along with the lawn and garden beds: see garden maintenance across Melbourne and what garden maintenance includes. For the pile left after a big cut, there’s green waste removal.

Planting a new hedge? Read the best hedge plants for Melbourne, and if the whole front garden needs a rethink, see front yard landscaping ideas for Melbourne.

Text a photo of your hedge and your suburb to 0415 386 399 for a free quote.

From EKO Gardening Solutions. Sources checked on 9 October 2026.

A few useful answers.

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What month should I trim my hedge in Melbourne?

Most hedges get their main trims in spring (September to November) and again in autumn (March to May). Trim flowering hedges straight after they finish flowering, and check for nesting birds before a spring trim.

Can I trim my hedge in summer?

A light tidy is fine for most hedges, and fast growers often need one. Skip the hottest days. If leaves get scorched in a heatwave, leave them on until the hot weather has passed, because they shade the growth below.

How often does a hedge need trimming?

Twice a year, in spring and autumn, suits most established hedges. Fast growers need tidying more often. For a young hedge, Gardening Australia suggests a trim every three to four months in its second year.

Can an overgrown hedge be cut back hard?

Some can. Many natives and lilly pillies regrow from a hard cut, but most conifers don’t resprout from old wood. Big reductions are safest done in stages over a few years.

Sources

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