As the days get shorter, your eucalyptus, the sun worshiper from Australia, will find it too cold on the patio. Except for the Eucalyptus gunii variety, none of the deciduous trees are hardy. Not only is a change of location required for successful overwintering, it is also important to get the tree used to the changed conditions with the right pruning. Read here how to prune your eucalyptus before and after hibernation.
A eucalyptus tree should be cut back before winter
Allow the eucalyptus to rest
Usually, plants largely stop growing in the cold season. Due to the lack of light, you can no longer carry out photosynthesis as intensively, which is why the necessary sugar, which is an important source of energy, is missing. The eucalyptus, which normally shows very rapid growth, still needs a lot of sunlight for this very reason.
You should reduce fertilizing in winter. In order not to have to put too much effort into caring for the shoot tips, shortening the outermost branch ends is a great help to the tree.
Cutting instructions for overwintering
- Before you transport the eucalyptus to its new location, shorten the shoot tips.
- Do not cut back during the winter.
- Only brown and dry leaves should be plucked off.
- Before you put the eucalyptus back outside, cut the tree back heavily.
Don't be afraid of mistakes
Before the eucalyptus moves into its usual location in the garden, you should wait until there is no longer any danger of night frost. The deadline for this is the end of the Ice Saints in mid-May. Then you are on the safe side.
You don't have to worry as much about pruning the tree prematurely. The eucalyptus forms new shoots very quickly and has its old appearance after a short time. Any mistakes in editing are therefore quickly overgrown. On the contrary, a vigorous pruning even promotes the formation of new branches.