In order for the cherry laurel to form an impenetrable privacy screen in the garden, which is also nice and dense in the lower area, you have to pay attention to a few things when cutting. Even older and bare bushes will grow back bushy with the right care and will soon be a gorgeous green garden ornament again.

A pruning in the spring ensures strong new growth

The right time for a first cut is spring, when the white blossom umbels of the laurel cherry have just faded. So that the hedge grows nice and dense, you should then cut all new shoots, which you can recognize by the green wood, by about half.

It is cut about two centimeters above a pair of leaves. When pruning, make sure to always shorten the branch above an outward-pointing eye. This promotes dense growth of width of the bushes.

It is also important to trim the hedge so that it tapers towards the top. As a result, more light gets inside and the lower shoots are not shaded by the ones above. This care measure ensures dense growth in the lower area.

Thin out older bushes

In July or August you can cut out some shoots from the inside of the bushes on older laurel cherries. This rejuvenates the wood without you having to put the whole cherry laurel back on the trunk. The young twigs that grow back prevent the shrubs from becoming undesirably bare in the lower area.

Targeted soil improvement promotes growth

Cherry laurel is one of the most robust garden shrubs that quickly form dense hedges. If the row of shrubs grows only a few centimeters a year and does not become compact, this could be due to soil compaction and/or waterlogging. The cherry laurel reacts very sensitively to both conditions, which are typical of heavy loam or clay soil.

How to remedy:

  • Loosen the soil around the bushes with a spade.
  • Work coarse sand and compost into the soil.
  • If desired, you can use this opportunity to bring in horn shavings (€32.93) or another long-term fertilizer.

tips and tricks

In order for the cherry laurel hedge to remain tight, it is also important to avoid frost damage. In harsh areas you should only plant hardy species and also give young plants adequate winter protection.

Category:

Trees