Angel's trumpets are among the ornamental plants that require more care - above all, they take up the hobby gardener because of their large water and fertilizer requirements. Cutting back, on the other hand, is not quite as important - but one or the other rule applies.
The angel's trumpet does not have to be cut back until autumn
How much pruning do angel trumpets need?
If you compare the pruning requirement with that of water and nutrients, you can almost lean back as an angel's trumpet owner. Because the angel's trumpet is a comparatively easy-care protégé in terms of growth. It does not grow excessively fast and, especially in the main vegetation phase over the summer, forms a well-branched branch system by itself. During the warm months, when you have the angel's trumpet outside, you usually don't have to cut it back.
In addition, the angel's trumpet is even more grateful for relatively little pruning - the less you give it a trimming, the more it will thank you with a lush bloom.
The favorable conditions for the little cutting work are therefore:
- not a particularly fast grower that needs to be controlled
- good independent branching in the main vegetative phase
- more flowering joy with little pruning intervention
When a pruning is necessary
However, you should not leave your angel's trumpet to itself. Especially when it comes to overwintering, you should use scissors in moderation. When this makes sense is hardly different from other plants that need to be overwintered - it is usually advisable to shorten the plant once before bringing it in and once before wintering it out in certain places.
Before wintering
Before you bring the angel's trumpet into winter quarters in autumn, you can cut it back a little - but mainly because it then takes up less space indoors. Also, only prune the shoots that fork in the upper flowering region with the smaller, asymmetrical leaves. There should always be one leafy shoot left per branch - this way you get all flowering shoots and can still save space.
You should not expect them to be more reduced with a view to the next vegetation phase. Also make the fall pruning as early as possible when it is still mild and do not immediately put the angel's trumpet into winter quarters. This promotes good healing of the cut surfaces.
Before wintering out
When a second pruning check is worthwhile is before the winter. Depending on the circumstances in the winter quarters, the angel's trumpet may have formed some shoots prematurely, which, however, are rather lean and without or hardly any leaves due to the lack of light. You should shorten these before you clear them out so that one or two leaves remain.
Radical pruning only in extreme cases
Very rarely do you have to radically cut back the angel's trumpet - however, this only occurs in the case of a really serious mite or fungal infestation and you should only take this emergency measure when all plant-friendly means and handling are no longer helping. The radical cut can then save the angel's trumpet, but also weakens it enormously.