- Cherry laurel withered
- Help by Radical Cut
- Prevention through care cuts
- Frost-resistant cherry laurel varieties
- frequently asked Questions
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The laurel cherry (Prunus laurocerasus) is popular as a hedge plant. The plant quickly forms high, opaque hedges. If the cherry laurel suddenly bare from the inside, only a radical cut usually helps. Follow the instructions.
In a nutshell
- Frost as a common cause of internal branch death
- Radical cutting can help
- Care cuts strengthen vitality
- Cherry laurel tolerates pruning very well
- frost-resistant varieties on offer
Cherry laurel withered
Cherry laurel can be seen in many gardens today. No wonder, after all, hardly any other hedge plant is as fast-growing and robust as Prunus laurocerasus. The wood with the leathery, dark green leaves, white flowers and black fruits looks attractive and grows an average of eight to forty centimeters per year.
A common problem, however, is the bare bushes from the inside. Inner branches die off in spring, especially after very cold winters.
causes
- weak plants due to lack of pruning
- frost
Help by Radical Cut
If cherry laurel is bare, a radical cut can help. Always use sharp, clean hedge trimmers for trimming.
- Time: February
- Goal: rejuvenation, vitality boost
manual
- Choose a dry, preferably sunny day for the cut.
- Cut the hedge back to the stick.
Attention: From March 1st to September 30th there is a grace period for breeding birds. During this time, trees and shrubs may not be pruned radically or placed on the stick (§39 BNatSchG). Therefore, choose a date in February for the radical cut.
Prevention through care cuts
Regular pruning measures increase vitality and can effectively prevent cherry laurel hedges from becoming bare. We recommend one to two trimmings per year.
In the spring
- Time: early March
- Goal: motivation for new growth
manual
- Choose a dry, sunny day in March for cutting. High humidity can contribute to the development of fungal diseases. Remove any diseased branches.
- Trim older hedges by at least a third. Young hedges grow very quickly, they should be cut back by half.
Notice: The leaves of the cherry laurel are very firm. They decompose slowly. It is better to dispose of the leaves in the compost bin than on the compost.
In the autumn
- Time: September
- Objective: topiary, protection against diseases
manual
- Choose a dry, sunny fall day for pruning. Check whether leaves or plant parts are affected by diseases. Powdery mildew and shotgun disease are common. Powdery mildew can be recognized by a whitish coating, shotgun disease by brown spots on the leaves.
- Thoroughly remove diseased parts of the plant and dispose of them in the household waste.
- Cut out dry, puny branches.
- Shape the entire hedge with one cut.
Notice: The parts of the cherry laurel plant are poisonous and can lead to allergic reactions. Wear gloves when cutting the shrub.
Frost-resistant cherry laurel varieties
When planting laurel cherries, rely on frost-hardy specimens from the start. These varieties get through the winter well:
- Angustifolia
- Caucasica
- Diana
- Mount Vernon
- novita
Prunus laurocerasus 'Caucasica'
Notice: All cherry laurel plants in the tub must overwinter frost-free. Choose a suitable place in the house for this. To do this, place the bucket on an insulating surface.
frequently asked Questions
Does a single cherry laurel bush have to be cut regularly?The laurel cherry also has an attractive effect as a solitary tree. A cut is not absolutely necessary if the plant has enough space and all parts get light. However, pruning also has a vitality-enhancing effect on individual plants. Cherry laurel bushes can also be decoratively designed with a topiary.
Should the hedge trimming be done by hand or with an electric hedge trimmer?Due to the large leaves of the laurel cherry, we recommend trimming the hedge by hand. Electric hedge trimmers cause injuries to the leaves, which weaken the plant and can be entry points for pathogens.
What does "put on the stick" mean?Gardeners call the radical pruning of fruit and ornamental trees "putting on the stick". It is cut back into the healthy wood. Only a few shoots remain. This radical cut is only permitted outside the breeding season of native birds. The Federal Nature Conservation Act prohibits the radical cut in the period from March 1st to September 30th.