spray once the new shoots are developing, you could burn them.
HEDGES AND SHRUBS
Most shrubs can be pruned mid to late winter. This encourages fresh spring growth, leads to a stronger, denser shrub or hedge, controls size and of course, keeps your hedges and shrubs neater and more symmetrical.
The key to a thick, dense hedge is to prune regularly during their early years. Tidying growth tips regularly will encourage dense growth and a better hedge. Leaving a hedge to its own devices is likely to lead to a‘ leggy’, topheavy plant.
Since you are not concerned about fruiting, pruning shrubs and hedges is fairly straightforward. Remove all dead and diseased wood, suckers and unwanted low growing branches. Then prune back the untidy growth points to neaten and shape as you want it.