The cherry laurel enjoys balanced care in your garden. We will tell you here which care measures are particularly important.

The cherry laurel needs balanced care

The cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is one of the most popular evergreen hedge plants in German gardens. It is fast-growing, opaque and incredibly tolerant of location. But even this easy-to-please comrade needs sufficient care to guarantee he althy growth and to keep it under control. Therefore, there are a few things to consider, especially when fertilizing and pruning. In return, you will be rewarded with a magnificent and vital plant that will protect you from prying eyes in no time at all.

A plant that produces up to 40 centimeters of new shoots a year must be supplied with sufficient energy in the form of water and nutrients. It is therefore important to fertilize and water the otherwise very undemanding cherry laurel properly. The evergreen foliage also contributes to the high nutrient consumption. Nevertheless, with a little preparation, the robust shrub can withstand our frosty winters without losses.

Pour cherry laurel

The large leaves of the cherry laurel quickly form opaque, green walls. However, the shrub also loses a lot of water through transpiration due to the large surface area. Accordingly, you should regularly reach for the watering can, especially on sunny and warm days. In general: It is poured as soon as the soil has dried out on the surface. Flood the root area, because the cherry laurel belongs to the deep-rooting family and the root tips also want to get some of the invigorating moisture. However, the cherry laurel, which otherwise thrives in almost every location, cannot get used to one thing: it is very sensitive to waterlogging and reacts to incorrect water conditions with a long time delay. When planting cherry laurel, it is therefore essential to lay out a drainage layer and loosen up heavy soil with sand.

The cherry laurel loses a lot of water through the large leaves. Therefore, an adequate water supply is particularly important

Note: Large-leaved varieties in particular are at increased risk of frost in winter. Therefore, watering is also necessary in winter, but only on frost-free days.

Fertilize cherry laurel

Fertilization is the be-all and end-all for cherry laurel, because if there is a lack of nutrients, the otherwise lush green leaves turn yellow and, in extreme cases, even fall off. You can read more about yellow leaves on cherry laurel here. In this case, your hedge is no longer of much use to you. It is therefore important to fertilize with an organic fertilizer once or twice a year. Just do the following:

  • Time: before new shoots in spring and in May/June
  • Preferred fertilizer: Mature compost / manure or primarily organic long-term fertilizer such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer

Before fertilizing you should loosen and water the soil. The fertilizer is worked into the surface, then it can be mulched with bark mulch, lawn clippings or wood chips. More tips and alternatives for optimal fertilization of the cherry laurel can be found here.

The supply of nutrients must be right to ensure that the leaves shine lush green all year round

Cut cherry laurel

The good growth, especially with hedges or cherry laurels cut into shape, means that scissors have to be used regularly. It is therefore pruned at least once a year immediately after flowering. For fast-growing varieties, we recommend a heavier cut in February and another light cut at the end of June after flowering. Prune your cherry laurel on a frost-free, dry and slightly cloudy day to avoid as much stress on the plant as possible and to minimize the risk of fungal infection. Otherwise, note the following:

  • Prefer to use manual scissors rather than electronic scissors
  • Wear gloves when pruning (cherry laurel is poisonous)
  • The shoots are cut before the leaf base
  • Sick shoots are cut back into the he althy wood
  • Inward growing shoots are removed to allow more light into the plant
  • Remove injured shoots (e.g. due to frost damage)

The plant also tolerates a radical pruning, but you should not do this without a good reason. You can find out more about pruning cherry laurel here.

Cherry laurel in winter

Despite the evergreen foliage, many varieties of cherry laurel are consideredat least conditionally hardy, so that they usually get through the cold season well without expensive winter protection. These include varieties such as 'Caucasica', 'Herbergii' or 'Genolia'. With the right moves, you can also influence how much frost damage you will face in the spring. For example, low-growing varieties are considered more hardy than high-growing varieties. This is because the plant is less susceptible to cold winds. However, this can also be minimized by choosing a good location.

Some cherry laurels are particularly hardy and are also suitable for regions with harsh winters

If the plant is well protected from the wind, there is less risk of frost damage being discovered next spring. For additional protection, you should also lay out a protective mulch layer if this has not already been done when fertilizing. This protects the root area from the cold temperatures and from evaporation. In particularly cold regions or with somewhat more sensitive varieties, you should also apply a thick layer of leaves, brushwood, moss or similar.

Note: Autumn fertilization with a high concentration of potash also promotes frost tolerance.

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Trees