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How to prune Lily Pilly Resilience?

Hi there, novice gardener here! I planted a Lilly Pilly Resilience hedge 1.5-2 years ago from tube stock. They're about 5 feet tall now and I'm concerned they aren't that dense/filled in. How should I prune these to encourage more density? I've looked into tip pruning and just using a hedge trimmer all over, so keen to hear if there is a 'best' method. Thanks in advance!

Please ignore the overgrown grass! 😋 PXL_20251101_005507188.MP.jpg

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Comments

mich1972

Good afternoon @kayara Like all Lillypilly hedges, to encourage them to grow thick and bushy you do need to prune them regularly to encourage growth and keep them shaped and the desired size. You can definitely use a hedge pruner to cut them. 🌿🙂

JacobZ

Hi @kayara,

When your hedge is still establishing, the best approach is to encourage branching rather than just trimming the surface. You can do this through tip pruning, which simply means lightly trimming off the ends of each shoot with some clean, sharp secateurs; just a few centimetres is enough. This encourages the plant to produce multiple new shoots from just below each cut, helping it thicken up from the inside rather than just growing taller.

Once the hedge is roughly at your desired height and starting to take shape, you can switch to using a hedge trimmer to maintain an even shape. When doing this, try to trim lightly and often. Several small trims through the growing season are better than one heavy cut.

After pruning, it’s a good idea to feed the plants with a slow-release fertiliser formulated for natives such as this Scotts Osmocote Native Controlled Release Fertiliser. Follow up with a deep watering to keep the roots moist and healthy.

Check out How To Trim Hedges for some further guidance.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

kayara

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/58883#Comment_58883

Thanks Jacob! I'm going to tip prune and do a deep water this weekend. Will save the hedge trimmer for a bit later down the line 😊

kayara

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/58881#Comment_58881

Thank you! I'm going to tip prune first, then get out the trimmer once they're a bit bigger!

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