QuestionsHow to growTrees and ShrubsHedges and Shelter beltscutting beech and laurel hedges 0 Vote Up Vote Down Joe O\’Donnell asked 15 years ago What is the best time to cut beech and laurel hedges if I want to reduce them in height by about 1 foot ? 1 Answers 0 Vote Up Vote Down Gerry Daly Staff answered 7 years ago Normal clippling of laurel and beech can take place in late summer. Harder cutting back into older wood can be done in March, but a 1′ foot is not very hard.