- Buy cherry laurel
- Cherry laurel varieties: Also suitable as hedges?
- Plant cherry laurel
- Propagate cherry laurel yourself
- Caring for cherry laurels
- Cherry laurel: diseases and poor growth
- Cherry laurel: Common pests and diseases
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The evergreen cherry laurel offers perfect privacy as a hedge. We'll show you what to consider when planting, pruning and care.
Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is not only a popular hedge plant because of its good vigor and dense, evergreen leaves. In contrast to other members of the rose family (Rosaceae), the robust plant does well in almost any location and its demands on the soil are also limited. However, a little help is needed for good growth. Sufficient fertilization is therefore an absolute must and provides a good basis for pruning. We will show you how to plant your cherry laurel and, with a little care, quickly grow it into an impressive hedge that will give you your well-deserved privacy.
Buy cherry laurel
When buying cherry laurel it is important to keep your eyes open. Before you buy, look at each individual young plant that you want to take home with you later. Otherwise, you run the risk of actually avoidable problems. In the best case, the cherry laurel only gets going slowly, in the worst case, you bring pathogens into your garden paradise. A he althy cherry laurel plant has lush green leaves all year round. Yellow, brown and holey leaves are clear indicators of disease or improper care. In addition, you should not find any deformations, broken branches or evidence. Also take a closer look at the point of sale. If the plants are in full sun, dry or swimming in water, the young plants are incredibly stressed and therefore particularly sensitive. But even before you buy, there are a few things you should think about. Think carefully about the conditions you will encounter in your chosen location and how you plan to plant your cherry laurel.
You can find more about finding a variety and suitable sources for buying a cherry laurel here.
Cherry laurel varieties: Also suitable as hedges?
The various cherry laurel varieties differ primarily in the shape and color of their leaves. There are small and large leaves, rich, dark green tones or foliage with beautiful bronze shades. But the varieties are differentnot only visually. The usability as a hedge is also strongly dependent on the variety. There are very fast-growing varieties such as 'Caucasica' or particularly bushy, opaque varieties such as the 'Rotundifolia' variety.
And as different as they look, the varieties are also hardy. From relatively frost-sensitive varieties to very frost-hardy, everything is included. Therefore, before making a purchase, think about which features are most appropriate for your garden project.
You can find a selection of hardy and fast-growing cherry laurel varieties here. We have put together an overview of the best varieties for cherry laurel hedges for you here.
Plant cherry laurel
Just by paying attention to a few little things when planting your cherry laurel, you can enjoy a dense, high hedge or an impressive solitary plant within a few years.
Cherry laurel: when to plant it?
The best time to plant cherry laurel is autumn. This gives the plant enough time to root before the first frost and can then properly sprout for the first time in spring. It is best to choose a dry, snow- and frost-free day for planting.
Planting cherry laurels: step-by-step instructions
Cherry laurels are considered extremely undemanding and robust. Therefore, almost every location is suitable for the rapidly spreading plants. Sun or shade - the cherry laurel finds its way to the top. He also makes no special demands on the soil conditions. However, it does not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore loosen up very heavy soil with sand and dig up the soil around the planting hole. Once you have found a nice place for your plants, you can start planting them out:
- Planting distance: 80 - 100 cm
- Dig planting holes
- Lay out a drainage layer of sand, gravel or potsherds on the ground
- Mix excavated topsoil with compost, manure or horn shavings
- Place the cherry laurel vertically in the planting hole
- Place the root ball so that it sits as deep as in the container
- Fill the planting hole and press down the soil well
- Water well
So that the hedges close faster, the planting distance can be reduced to three plants per meterbe reduced. With container plants, the planting hole should be significantly larger than the plant container. With baled goods, it is advisable that the roots have space to spread out. In addition, you should place the roots of balled goods in water for about half an hour before planting. When your cherry laurel is growing, water as soon as the surface of the soil dries out, because a lot of water evaporates through the large leaves, which increases the risk of drying out.
You can find more about planting cherry laurel here in our special article.
Propagate cherry laurel yourself
Cherry laurels can be easily propagated from cuttings or stolons. For example, you can easily fill in gaps in your hedge yourself in winter or due to illness. The propagation of cuttings also offers high chances of success for the garden novice. It is best to use he althy, approximately 15 cm long shoots as cuttings - these are cut back several times a year. In order for the cuttings to root, you should do the following:
- Remove Bottom Sheets
- Cut leftover leaves in half
- Fill small pot with sand-soil mixture
- Put the shoot about halfway into the substrate
- Keep soil well moist, but avoid waterlogging
- Put the foil hood over the pot
- Choose a bright location
- Temperature: around 20 °C
- It takes a few weeks for roots to form
The leaves are shortened to minimize evaporation. Also, be sure to avoid waterlogging to prevent mold from forming. You can also root the cuttings in a glass of water and then plant them in the ground. The cutting should be a few centimeters deep in the water. Propagation via seeds is also possible. But both the germination and the formation of a real plant require a relatively long time.
You can find more about the propagation of cherry laurel here.
Caring for cherry laurels
Of course, her cherry laurel would also like to be properly cared for. Below is a brief summary of what needs to be considered when it comes to maintenance. A more detailed guide to the ideal care of the cherry laurel can be found here.
Water the cherry laurel correctly
Particularly on sunny and warm days, it is advisable to reach for the watering can. In general, with the cherry laurel, it is poured when theThe surface of the earth around the plants has dried up. Since the cherry laurel is one of the deep-rooted plants, you should water the root area thoroughly so that the water also reaches the lower roots. In any case, make sure that you avoid waterlogging.
Fertilize cherry laurel correctly
Just like us humans, cherry laurels also need a lot of nutrients in their mass phase. Although the biceps don't grow in this case, the shoots do increase by a good 40 cm per year. Therefore, the supply of your cherry laurel starts with the planting. Mix the topsoil with compost or organic long-term fertilizer such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer.
Reasonable fertilization not only allows your cherry laurel to grow properly, but also supports the plant's resistance to frost. If you still want to think about the environment, it is better to keep your hands off mineral fertilizer variants. These are produced in a wasteful manner, are more difficult to dose and are usually more expensive. You can find out how you can further optimize fertilization here.
Cut cherry laurel
Pruning your cherry laurel regularly will encourage growth and keep your plants in the shape you want them to be. The vigorous plants are pruned for the first time in the first spring after planting. After that, it is cut back once or twice a year - depending on how fast the variety grows. The first cut takes place in the spring before they sprout. Also meticulously remove all winter damage. Here, frozen or dried shoots are cut back deep into the he althy wood. The second cut takes place at the end of May to the beginning of June, but at the latest at the beginning of August. Here is only slightly cut into shape. Do not choose a day that is too wet or too sunny for pruning, otherwise there is a risk of fungal infections or sunburn. Also, do not use electric scissors to cut back. This severely injures the large leaves, causing the plants to look tattered rather than well cared for. In addition, the injured leaves turn brown and unsightly. Good, solid manual work with sharp pruning shears can help.
But always work with gloves and graspDon't touch your face with your fingers. Because cherry laurel leaves secrete a plant sap on their underside, which can lead to contact allergies. You can find out more about the toxicity of cherry laurel here.
Note: The many cuts result in a lot of cutting material. This rots rather moderately well in cherry laurel. Therefore ensure that the compost is well mixed and layered with soil.
We have summarized more about the correct pruning of the cherry laurel here in a special article.
Cherry laurel: diseases and poor growth
Although the rose family (Rosaceae) is considered to be extremely robust, a lack of nutrients and water in particular quickly becomes noticeable in them and leads to an increased susceptibility to diseases.
Cherry Laurel: Yellow and Brown Leaves
There are many reasons why the once rich green leaves of your cherry laurel can turn yellow and brown, including the following:
- Soil compaction and waterlogging
- Sunburn
- Frost and Kahlfrost
- Too low or too high water supply
- Fungal Infections
- Nutrient deficiencies (nitrogen, iron)
- Leaves were injured while cutting (electric scissors)
- Pot too small
- Calciferous soil with pH too high
- Stress from relocation
For more detailed information on yellow and brown leaves on cherry laurel and how to prevent them, read this special article here.
Cherry laurel losing leaves
It is completely normal for evergreen plants to occasionally lose leaves. Leaf edge necrosis (brown leaf edges) usually occurs on older leaves before they sail towards the ground. But if the leaves are piling up or if all the leaves are even shed, there are other reasons for this. The reasons are the same as for the previously mentioned leaf discoloration, as the next stage in this process is shedding of the damaged leaves. So proceed as described in the previous section.
Cherry laurel won't grow
If your laurel does not shoot up as expected, this can be due to the wrong care or simply to the growth characteristics of the variety. Therefore, find out about the growth rate of your cherry laurel variety before you get frustrated. Particularly fast-growingCherry laurel varieties can be found here. If it is not due to the chosen variety, the following reasons for the sparse growth come into question:
- Too little / too much water
- Pests, Diseases
- Not enough fertilizer
- Pruned too little
- Compact, heavy soil
How to get your plants back to their best form:
- Water well; Avoid waterlogging
- Remove diseased plant parts and combat pests/diseases (see below)
- Fertilization twice a year (more information on the care and fertilization of cherry laurel can be found here)
- Prune back twice a year (see above)
- Dig up, improve soil, plant again
Do not forget to water, especially in winter. Especially on sunny days, the cherry laurel loses a lot of water through its leaves, even in the cold season. Improve the soil by working coarse sand and compost into the soil. When cutting in spring, cut out the flower buds. In this way, all energy is put into the formation of instincts.
Cherry laurel: Common pests and diseases
Waterlogging in particular, but also stress, causes problems for the cherry laurel, because the moisture promotes fungal infections. The most common diseases of cherry laurel include:
- Shotshot disease: punctured leaves with reddish-brown spots
- Downy mildew: Yellow spots on leaf; white deposits on the underside of the leaf
- Powdery mildew: coating on the upper side of the leaf
In the case of fungal infections, you should remove and discard the infected leaves to prevent the infection from spreading in the first place. For a heavier infestation, especially powdery mildew, consider a fungicide treatment. However, so that it doesn't get that far in the first place, you can treat your plants with Algan (Neudorf), for example, and of course you should avoid waterlogging.
The most common pest is the vine weevil, which eats away at the roots as a larva and thus damages them. As a result, the plant can absorb less water and nutrients, grow weaker or even dry up at some point. Even when fully grown, the nocturnal beetles are opponents of every cherry laurel lover, because they eat small bays inthe leaf edges. To combat this, clay pots filled with wood shavings are placed under the infested plants. These are used by the beetles as a resting place during the day. The beetles snuggled up in the wood shavings are then disposed of during the day together with them and the pots are filled with new wood shavings.
"Cherry laurels are ideal for planting as hedges. You can find more low-maintenance hedges that can serve as privacy screens for your garden in this article.