Does your hedge scream ugly gnarly mess? Does it look like a science experiment gone wrong? Could it be that it is only MOSTLY dead? Just like Billy Crystal said on The Princess Bride, there is a difference between dead or mostly dead. Mostly dead means there is some green growth and hope for rejuvenation. A hedge is meant to be a manageable living fence, not a screen. It should be narrower at the top than at the bottom and should be thinned out occasionally to keep light penetrating to the center in order to continue growth there. When most of this has stopped it may be time for a hard pruning or rejuvenation. Both of these are done before they bud out that first part of spring or last part of winter. Evergreen hedges are an exception to this rule. Shrubs that grow mostly from the ground are best for rejuvenating and can be cut back almost to the ground within 6-12″ from the bottom. All hard pruning or rejuvenation will stimulate new growth as soon as the energy comes out in the spring flushing out a brand new hedge!
