Hornbeam hedge thickening

[rob39]

Just before we moved into our current home the previous owners planted a 5-6ft bare root hedge. Now 8 months old there's plenty of growth side shoots etc but how and when do I cut to promote more side shoots to thicken . Height is currently 6ft

[roitelet]

Keep trimming it and when it gets to about 2ft higher than you want it take the top off. That will encourage it to side shoot

[Kirk]

I will ask the question: Do you want it?
Only ask as when I moved to where I am they planted a nice low bushy hedge of trees. What we have now are one or two trees at 20 feet tall and some undergrowth. Basically a few of the original planting gained the upper hand and became fully fledged trees and kind of stick with them now.

You will have to maintain the hedge at least twice a year, possibly more, doesn't sound a lot but it is easy to ignore it once and find you suddenly have a tree not a bit of a hedge in there.

Just remember that Hornbeam is a tree, not a bush and so if it gets the chance it will develop into a tree, or two or five.