Readers quetion: JOHN in Stokesley has a mix of hedging (leylandii, hawthorn, privet and beech) around his property that is getting a bit out of hand. He thinks it is time to cut it back, but is a bit confused as to when and how.

AS winter edges closer, gardeners around the country are gearing up for that end of year trim to clean up their hedges. Most hedges respond best to being left wider at the bottom and slightly narrower at the top. Small-leafed shrubs can be trimmed using hedge cutters or shears. Larger-leaved ones need to be done more selectively using loppers, pruning saws and secateurs.

This is for both aesthetic and disease prevention reasons.

Hawthorn can be cut back hard to the old cut even if you lose some of the leaves, but be careful. The more manicured the hawthorn, the more likely it is you will get die-back and need some remedial pruning in the winter to stimulate re-growth.

Privet can take all kinds of beatings and is hugely resilient. In fact, the harder the trim, the denser and more substantial the hedge.

Beech is also good for trimming hard. As a general rule of thumb, prune in winter to re-shape and trim in late summer (hard) to tidy up.

When trimmed regularly, beech will retain its leaves because they stay in a juvenile state. A golden beech hedge in winter is nearly as attractive as a young lime green hedge that is in budburst in spring, so leaving some leaves is beneficial visually and also helps massively as a windbreak.

Very few conifers will regenerate if cut beyond living growth. Most will only be able to be trimmed back to about half an inch from the last green shoot. Whatever you do, do not cut into brown stems, as this will leave a hole that will never recover. It pays to be hard every year from the first season if you want a conifer hedge to remain compact and manageable.

Some conifers and yew are irritating to the skin, so keep your sleeves rolled down. This will also ensure that your forearms are not lacerated by sharp branches, prickles or brambles.

Jobs this week

■ Evergreens and conifers planted last month should be watched for wind rock and firmed in again immediately after the high winds.

Strong winds can dry out newlyplanted evergreens rapidly, especially if they had a tight, container-grown rootball at planting time, and a can of water really helps.

■ Cloves of garlic may still be planted outdoors on light, welldrained soils. Use only plump, firm bulblets and set them 7in apart.

■ Prune indoor vines after the leaves have fallen and burn the old leaves to reduce disease. Ventilate well and keep the greenhouse cold.

If there are no plants inside that could suffer, leave it open for a couple of months.

Brigid presents the BBC Tees Gardening show on Sundays from 1pm to 2pm. Questions can be answered on the day by emailing brigidpress@bbc.co.uk anytime during the week, or texting 07786- 200995 and phoning 01642-225511 during the show.