The evergreen cherry laurel is one of the hedging plants that grow very quickly and thus form a high and dense privacy screen within a few years. If the tree does not thrive as desired, there may be mistakes in care.

Regular pruning accelerates growth

Many garden owners let the laurel cherry grow freely in the first few years because they hope that the evergreen shrub will grow particularly quickly. Unfortunately, quite the opposite is the case.

If you want to support the growth of the cherry laurel, you should cut back the bush in the first spring after planting. If growth is hesitant, it can be helpful to cut out the flower buds as well. The laurel cherry can then put all its energy into the formation of new shoots and will reward you for not having the flowers with vigorous growth.

Fertilize sufficiently

The cherry laurel should already be supplied with fertilizer when planting. Well suited are:

  • horn shavings
  • compost
  • ripe crap.

Mix the fertilizer with the topsoil and fill in the planting hole with soil. After setting, you can also add some liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water. This starting aid for the laurel cherry accelerates the growth and the first budding. However, avoid excessive fertilization as this pollutes the environment and can damage the plant. You should not fertilize the wood in autumn either, as the new shoots will then not be able to mature sufficiently. The result is massive frost damage in winter.

Water regularly

The newly planted cherry laurel must first develop its central roots properly in order to be able to survive dry phases unscathed. Freshly planted, the evergreen shrub, which evaporates a lot of moisture from the large leaf area on hot days, needs additional watering.

Water the laurel cherry fully whenever the top inches of soil feel dry. However, be sure to avoid waterlogging, to which the cherry laurel is very sensitive.

Did you choose the right variety?

Not all laurel cherry species reach for the sky. Ground-covering or low-growing varieties such as Otto Luyken only reach their final height after years, which is only about 1.50 meters untrimmed.

tips and tricks

If the cherry laurel does not thrive and grows slowly, pest infestation or diseases could also be the cause. For example, the larvae of the nocturnal vine weevil nibble on the roots of the plants, thereby massively weakening them.

Category:

Trees