Shrub & Hedge Trimming in Centerton, AR

Why shrubs get out of hand here

Centerton has some of the newest housing in Benton County. Builders often plant shrubs close to the house and close together so the yard looks full on the day of sale. Many of those plants can easily grow six to ten feet tall if left alone. Add long, warm growing seasons and plenty of spring rain, and a front bed that looked tidy at closing can be swallowing the windows a few years later.

Privacy screens are the other big job. Rows of arborvitae, Leyland cypress, wax myrtle and holly along back fences are popular in Centerton subdivisions. They grow quickly, but if only the top and front are trimmed, the bottoms thin out and the screen develops gaps.

Right cut, right time

Good shrub care is mostly about timing. Shrubs that bloom in spring, such as forsythia, azaleas, spirea and lilac, set their flower buds the summer before. Prune them right after they finish blooming, or you will cut off next year's show. Shrubs that bloom on new growth, such as crape myrtle, rose of Sharon, butterfly bush and many hydrangeas, are best pruned in late winter.

Evergreen hedges get a light shaping in late spring after the first flush of growth, and sometimes a touch-up in late summer. We avoid heavy shearing in the hottest part of July and August, when stressed plants scorch more easily, and we stop late enough in fall that new growth can harden before cold weather.

What we do on a visit

• Hedges are shaped slightly wider at the base than the top, so sunlight reaches the lower branches and the screen stays full to the ground.
• Foundation shrubs are reduced away from windows, siding, HVAC units and dryer vents, with selective cuts rather than shearing into hard balls where that suits the plant better.
• Crape myrtles are thinned and shaped without topping. Cutting them back to stubs every winter, often called crape murder, leads to weak, knobby growth.
• Roses and perennial shrubs like Knock Out roses are cut back in late winter to keep them compact.
• Cleanup of all clippings, with beds raked and walks blown clean.

Bagworms and other pests

Bagworms are one of the most common problems we see on arborvitae, juniper and Leyland cypress around Centerton. The caterpillars build small brown bags of needles that hang from the branches, and a heavy infestation can strip and kill an evergreen in a season or two. The eggs overwinter inside last year's bags and hatch in late spring. Hand-picking bags during winter trims helps, and early-summer treatment works best while the larvae are still small. We check for bagworms, scale and other problems every time we trim, and our tree disease treatment service can handle what we find.

Corner lots and sidewalks

Shrubs near driveways and street corners can block drivers' view of kids on bikes and oncoming cars. HOAs in many Centerton neighborhoods also have rules about hedges over sidewalks and landscaping in common view. We trim those areas back to keep sight lines open and keep you in good standing with your association.

When a shrub should go

Sometimes a plant is simply in the wrong spot, or has been cut back so many times that it will never look right again. We will tell you honestly when removing and replacing makes more sense than another trim. For trees that have outgrown the yard, see our tree trimming and tree planting services.

Cleanup and disposal

Hedge trimming makes a surprising volume of clippings. We collect everything on tarps as we go, so it does not end up buried in your mulch or blowing into the neighbor's yard, and we haul it all away. Healthy clippings are chipped and composted. Bagworm bags and diseased material are bagged separately so they are not spread to other yards.

Common questions

How often should hedges be trimmed?

Most need one or two trims a year. Fast growers like privet may need three.

Can you bring an overgrown hedge back?

Often, yes, by cutting it back in stages over two or three seasons.

Do you work outside Centerton?

Yes, in Bentonville, Bella Vista, Highfill, Gravette and Decatur.