Hi all!


I am in the process of developing, from what we can see, the world's first Auto Robot Hedge Trimmer.

But there is one thing we cannot find an answer to anywhere. Is it possible to overtrim a Thuja, or other winter green hedges? I mean, don't trim it in, but trim it once or twice a week, to maintain the desired height and width of the hedge.

How is the robot deciding how far to trim? Plant growth rate will vary over the seasons. Once or twice a week sounds WAY too often in any season.

Robot settings is set by user in app. After first cut, it will only cut new spouts. So waste will be so smal and little, so it will go into ground a fertilizer.

The reason I ask, is that from what we can find, there is no other robot that can autotrim a hedge, like a robot mower do on a lawn. So I cant find any study, of experience regarding trimming hedges once or twise a week, and what kind of hedges can handle this. And if there is any negative consequenses to trimming often.

Yes, there is a distinct disadvantage. Leaves gradually lose their ability to efficiently carry on photosynthesis as they senesce. These leaves are normally replaced by new foliage which comes on line perfectly tuned to prevailing light levels. Persistently removing the new growth of higher plants to maintain a constant outline can cause serious decline or even death. Another consideration is, as the wood within the outline senesces it becomes increasingly reluctant to back-bud.

Like almost all other bonsai practitioners, I had to learn the hard way that persistent removal of new growth to maintain a tree's eye appeal will not end well. Woody plants need time to recover from pruning. Often, when a tree is prepared for a show and made to look perfect, it is allowed at least a full year of growing wild before being pruned again.

Too, most species of Thuja, and occidentalis in particular, are well known to be weak back-budders. If you need to build a hedge as an example of what your system can do, you'll need to depend on back-budding for the new growth, inevitable if you hold to a precise outline, try T occidentalis 'Zmatlik' if you can find it. Iseli should have it. I believe they were first to commercialize it.
Al

Talked to a gardner here in Norway today. She told me no issues with trimming once or twice a week with our soulution. But she did not sse the ponit. She told me maybe once every 10 to 14 days, to maintain.

No matter what you decide to do, I wish you well.

Al

tapla said: No matter what you decide to do, I wish you well.

Al

Thanks