How to Use an Electric Hedge Trimmer

Summer is a good time to get out in the yard and trim hedges, plants and flowers, and spruce up the lawn. Hedges can be the hardest part of your summertime job. Some hedges grow fast and can quickly become overgrown. Knowing how to use an electric hedge trimmer can make your trimming job easier, and you can throw away that manual trimmer that never seems to make the hedges look as beautiful as you would like.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Plug the cord of the hedge trimmer into a long enough extension cord with enough slack so that you are not restricting the movement of the trimmer. You will be making upward and downward movements as well as side-to-side movements.

2. Start trimming the hedge on the bottom. Hold the hedge trimmer with two hands and place it at the base of the hedge, slowly moving it in an upward direction. How deeply you trim depends on the size of the hedge you want. Most hedges are smaller at the bottom and wider at the top.

3. Move around the hedge, continuing to start at the bottom and move upward to the top. Some areas will need a sideways sweep to get branches that moved out of the way when you were doing the upward sweep.

4. Hold the hedge trimmer straight out from your body to do the top. You can make a rounded top or a square top. The square top requires moving the trimmer across the top from side to side. For rounded edges, start about 2 inches from the top and move the trimmer inward as you go up to the top. Repeat until you have a smooth rounded top.

Tips & Warnings

• Hedge trimmers come in different sizes, and you should buy one that feels comfortable when you hold it and move it around. Always wear safety glasses when trimming hedges.
• Be careful not to cut the cord when using the trimmer.

[artbros]

on 8/30/2009 Said NOTHING about WHEN to trim. If I could give this article negative stars, I would.

[ShowChihuahua]

on 8/30/2009 not worth reading

[sarafoster100]

on 8/30/2009 http://www.e-dol.com