The oleander (Nerium oleander) is one of the most popular perennials for growing in containers. It forms numerous flowers from June to September. The prerequisite for this is the right care, which includes pruning in particular. Courage is required when pruning, because the perennials need a vigorous pruning so that they not only bloom profusely, but also to protect them from diseases and pests.
Cut oleanders
time
The oleander originally comes from the warm Mediterranean region and stands for Mediterranean flair. It only tolerates frost to a limited extent and this must also be taken into account when choosing the right time for pruning. In principle, oleander perennials can be cut in spring or in autumn.
Pruning back in spring will encourage vigorous budding, while pruning in fall will ensure the plant survives the winter well in sheltered indoor locations. By pruning in autumn, the plant has to supply less mass, which also simplifies care. In addition, diseases and pests are less vulnerable to attack during the critical hibernation phase.
safety instructions
Nerium oleander has toxic ingredients that can be dangerous when cutting the perennials. When cut, a white plant sap escapes from the wood, which can cause allergic reactions on skin contact. In addition, the branches are flexible, which means that a branch held for cutting can also spread its plant sap when it springs back.
This can be particularly uncomfortable if the juice gets on mucous membranes or in the eyes. Therefore, not only gloves should be worn when working on the oleander, but also suitable protection for the eyes, especially with very large plants.
notice: In autumn the plant has less sap because it tends to concentrate its forces in the area of the roots. A pruning at this time is therefore a little less risky, but not entirely harmless.
Instructions for pruning
Before the oleander is cut, it should be dry for several days before and after the cut. High humidity promotes fungal infestation at the open interfaces. Therefore, spring is usually a better time to cut than autumn, since the humidity is usually higher in autumn and plants that are already infested in the winter quarters can also infect other perennials.
Cut the oleander in 6 steps:
- Have cleaned scissors and, if necessary, a saw ready
- put on protective clothing
- Choose the leader drive for height growth
- Select thinning branches and remove them entirely
- shorten other branches to the ninth bud
- remove shoots close to the ground
The leading shoot is always slightly longer than the other shoots. It usually determines the structure of the bush and is also the branch that forces the supply of the other branches. If the main branch is removed, the shrub will also be restricted in its height growth, which is sometimes the case with very large and old shrubs.
tip: For heavily woody plants with large interfaces, these can be sealed with an appropriate tree wax for interfaces, reducing the risk of disease.
Cut dead plant parts regularly
Regardless of the time of pruning, you must regularly remove dead plant parts. These not only look unsightly, diseases can also start there or pests can settle there. In comparison to the annual pruning, in this case you do not cut into fresh parts of the plant, but only cut off slightly above.
tip: Although you could pluck off dead plant parts, there is a high risk that you will damage healthy plant material. You should therefore also remove withered leaves and flowers with sharp scissors.
If you remove dead plant parts, you can too correction cuts make. This is necessary when branches grow across the inside or shoots hang over the edge of the pot near the ground. Above all, overhanging shoots are common, since the oleander propagates via shoots lying on the ground, which are not desirable in pot culture.
Corrective cuts definitely cut into fresh plant material. These also have the advantage of prolonging the flowering period, as they stimulate flower growth.
radical cut
If you cut your oleander regularly, in most cases you only have to remove a little. Nevertheless, it can happen that a radical cut is necessary. This is always the case when:
- the plants are too big.
- the shrub is infested with pests.
- diseases have developed.
- the shrub should get a new shape.
- the bush threatens to bare.
In order to be able to subject an oleander to a radical pruning, you should first check the roots. The branches can only be shortened if the root ball is healthy. Plants with healthy roots can be shortened to a height of 40 - 50 cm without any problems. With older plants, you often even have to use a saw for a radical cut because the branches are too thick for scissors.
A radical pruning promotes the formation of shoots from the rootstock. This creates shoots that are very close to the ground, which make Nium oleander look like a bush again.
education cuts
A special challenge when pruning Nerium oleander are training cuts, especially if the shrub is to grow in the form of a half trunk. The training of young plants is also not easy, because although the oleander grows quickly, it can take several years until the plants have reached their former glory if there are mistakes.
When raising young perennials, you should pay particular attention to a beautiful crown. To do this, remove those branches that impede this. This particularly affects new shoots, which can obstruct beautiful, strong branches. In addition, the shrub should have a light and airy crown that also gives the flowers enough space. Therefore, also remove thin branches that are too close to the main branches.
When training to a high trunk, you should pay particular attention to a straight leading branch. A healthy, strong and, above all, straight branch is chosen, which should form the trunk in the future. You must consistently remove side shoots on the trunk, as growth should be limited to the crown.
Damage control from pests and diseases
Pruning is essential if the plant is affected by pests or diseases. Basically, in this case, as little as possible applies, but as much as necessary. Therefore, it may be that, especially in this case, a strong pruning is essential.
However, the cut is only limited to affected areas, which you should then shorten well. Every bud that survives has the potential to bud despite disease or pests. In this case, it is very important to follow the instructions and to disinfect the cutting tool used at the end. You should dispose of diseased clippings in the residual waste.
