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| Photo Credit: Black & Decker Corp. |
| Trimming hedges can take just minutes with the right power tool. |
If you’ve ever spent an afternoon trimming a hedge with a pair of hand clippers, you (and your aching muscles) will appreciate a power hedge trimmer. Instead of taking hours to trim plants, the job can take just minutes. In fact, it usually takes more time to rake up the trimmings than it does to actually cut the hedge!
As a bonus, you’ll probably find that your hedge trimmer can be used for other jobs in the landscape, too. It’s ideal for cutting back perennials to the ground in fall, as well as for trimming back slightly woody groundcovers. | Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: Black & Decker Corp. | | Corded hedge trimmers are inexpensive and plug into an outdoor outlet. |
There are basically three categories of power hedge trimmers: corded, battery-powered and gas-powered. Corded models are inexpensive and plug into an outdoor outlet (although the cord can be cumbersome). Battery-powered versions are easy to turn on, have no cord issues and are only moderately expensive (although battery life can be limiting). Gas-powered trimmers are by far the most powerful. They’re a bit heavier than most electric models, but are very mobile. (The downsides: maintenance, rip cord starts, noise and emissions.)
Before you run out and buy a power trimmer, there are a few other things you should take into consideration: How will you use the tool? How high is your hedge? Will you be making only straight cuts, or will you be shaping shrubs, too (which calls for a shorter blade)? What’s your price range? How far away from an outdoor electrical outlet do you plan to use your hedge trimmer? It’s also helpful to know a few things about the different models available: Double-edged cutting blades vs. single. Double-edge blades, the most common type, have teeth on both sides, allowing you to make cuts as you pass the trimmer back and forth. They’re designed for trimming hedges as high as your chest, and they’re also the best for shaping hedges or shrubs. Single-edge blades make it easier to make straight cuts. Since teeth are only on one side of the blade, the tool is longer with less weight. Accessories for this type of trimmer may include a collector for the cuttings – a major time-saver for large jobs. Ample blade openings. A ¾-inch opening in the blade is enough to allow lots of small branches to be cut at once. Smaller blade openings do finer, slower work.
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