When can you cut hedges?

Our guide will show you how to perform healthy hedge maintenance in accordance with legal regulations and tell you when and to what extent you can cut hedges.

27.10.2023

A woman wearing safety glasses and gloves trims a hedge with a STIHL hedge trimmer — A healthy, even hedge requires regular trimming.

Overview
Bird protection legislation
When can you cut hedges?
When is the best time to trim hedges?

Overview: When are you allowed to cut hedges?

The German Federal Nature Conservation Act regulates when hedges may be cut
Radical pruning is prohibited from 1 March for animal protection reasons
Only light maintenance trimming is permitted between 1 March and 30 September
If birds are nesting in the hedge, trimming of any kind is completely prohibited
Anyone who radically cuts back a hedge in contravention of the ban risks being fined
However, the responsible municipality may grant exemptions
Healthy hedge maintenance can be achieved in accordance with the regulations

Bird protection legislation

Brown-feathered songbird with young in a nest

Hedge trimming is regulated by law in order to protect birds.

Since 2010, the German Federal Nature Conservation Act has regulated the protection of wildlife habitats for the Federal Republic of Germany and as such also specifies the period when hedges may be trimmed.

Paragraph 39(5) of the Act bans trimming plants at certain times of the year for the purposes of animal and bird protection. This is relevant to various plants including hedges, bushes and other shrubs.

When can you cut hedges to avoid nesting birds?

In particular, bird protection applies during the nesting and breeding season of birds. Under German law, this officially starts on 1 March. In order not to disturb the animals during nesting or breeding, the ban on pruning applies from 1 March up to and including 30 September. During this period, radically pruning back hedge plants or cutting them back to the trunk is prohibited in Germany.

Only light maintenance cuts to remove annual growth are permitted, and then only provided that no birds are nesting in the hedge. The NABU Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union recommends that even these maintenance cuts should not be carried out during the main breeding season between March and June.

When can you cut hedges?

When you can actually trim a hedge depends on the type of trimming you are planning. Below we explain what type of trimming is permitted and when, and what penalties may be imposed in the event of violations.

You can prune hedges radically or cut them right back to the trunk from 1 October. Before starting work, please make sure that no birds, mammals or amphibians have established their homes in the hedge. If necessary, please postpone your project for the benefit of the animals.

Radical pruning is permitted up to and including the end of February. Although birds do not breed in the winter months, hedges also offer hedgehogs a place in which to spend the winter, so you should be cautious. If you discover a hibernating hedgehog, its shelter must not be damaged or destroyed, as hedgehogs are subject to special protection. In such a case, you should leave the surrounding hedge untouched and continue your work at a certain distance.

Hedges cannot be dramatically trimmed from March to September inclusive. However, gentle shaping of the hedge is permitted during this period. During this time, you can face a fine if you remove more than the annual growth or cut the hedge when there are birds breeding in it.

Anyone who cuts a hedge during the legally prohibited period from 1 March to 30 September without a special permit or “reasonable cause” can expect a fine.

If, for example, a large hedge is in danger of falling over onto the road or pavement after a storm, ensuring road safety is “reasonable cause”. In such cases, it is best to consult the relevant nature conservation authority and find out whether an exemption permit is required in your specific case before starting work with your hedge trimmer.

Have you purchased a building site and need to remove a hedge to allow construction vehicles to access the site?

If so, you should contact your local authority directly. The competent authority may grant you a exemption. If you remove the hedge on your own, you may be liable for a fine. The amount of such a penalty is determined by the state and also depends on the individual case. However, the maximum penalty is up to EUR 100,000. But it need not come to that’ simply carry out your proper hedge maintenance in accordance with the Federal Nature Conservation Act.

When is the best time to trim hedges?

You can carry out more extensive work from October onwards, while gentle cutting and trimming will keep your hedge healthy from March onwards – this is what the Federal Nature Conservation Act specifies. For optimal care, healthy growth and strong shoots, the ideal time for trimming depends on the type of hedge plants you have.

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The right care is important for a green, healthy thuja.

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Beware of excessive pruning with thuja. Our guide will tell you how to cut arborvitae correctly and the right time to do so.

Go to “Trimming thuja” guide

Close-up of a yew branch with red berries

The evergreen yew is easy to maintain when it comes to cutting.

Trimming yew

The evergreen yew is very easy to maintain and usually forgives more extreme pruning without fuss. However, you can find out what you should definitely pay attention to here.

Go to “Trimming yew” guide

A man wearing a helmet and gloves trimming a beech hedge with a hedge trimmer

Whether you’re trimming a hornbeam or a European beech, a maintenance cut is a good idea.

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Are you growing hornbeam or European beech? The tips in this guide will help you make the best cuts for healthy, dense growth at the right time.

Go to “Trimming beech hedges” guide

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Privet quickly grows to form a privacy screen.

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Even though the privet has small leaves, its dense growth will soon produce an opaque privacy screen. Find out when and how best to trim privets to achieve this.

Go to “Trimming privet hedges” guide

Cypress hedge in a driveway in front of a filigree grey gate

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Although cypresses are sensitive to cutting of their older wood, cypress trees that are in a hedge should be trimmed regularly. In this guide, we will tell you the best time to cut cypress hedges and what you need to bear in mind.

Go to “Trimming cypresses” guide

Cherry laurel grows back quickly.

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Cherry laurel is known for its large leaves and rapid growth. Find out when you should trim cherry laurel and what you need to bear in mind to produce a well-cut look.

Go to “Trimming cherry laurel” guide