The diverse spindle family provides us with dense ground covers, small shrubs and majestic solitaires; evergreen or deciduous with a furious play of colors in autumn. In view of this wide range of species and varieties, frequent questions arise, which receive a practice-oriented answer here.

The spindle shrub is also popular as a ground cover

Table of Contents

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  1. Plant spindle shrub properly
  2. care tips
  3. Which location is suitable?
  4. What soil does the plant need?
  5. When is flowering time?
  6. Properly cut spindle bush
  7. Water spindle bush
  8. Fertilize spindle shrub properly
  9. hibernate
  10. Propagate Spindle Bush
  11. Is spindle tree poisonous?
  12. Beautiful varieties

    13. Plant spindle shrub properly

    You'll steer a spindle tree in the right direction from the start if the planting follows these steps:

    • Loosen up the soil in a sunny location, weed it and work it into fine crumbs
    • Meanwhile, place the root ball in a container of water until no more air bubbles rise
    • Dig a planting pit with twice the volume of the root ball
    • Mix compost and horn shavings (€32.93) into the excavation

    Pot out the young spindle bush and place it in the middle of the pit. This is filled with the enriched substrate so high that the previous planting depth is maintained. If you shorten all shoots by a third, this measure promotes bushy, richly branched growth. Water generously on the day of planting and afterwards without waterlogging. A mulch layer of leaf soil, compost or bark mulch keeps the soil moist and warm for longer.

    care tips

    The pivotal point in the care program is a balanced water and nutrient balance. Water a spindle bush regularly, especially in the first few years of life, without causing waterlogging. Evergreen species continue to lose moisture even in winter, so there is a need for watering all year round. In the bed, the subshrub is content with a portion of compost in March/April and June/July. Fertilize potted plants with a liquid preparation every 14-21 days from April to August. A spindle shrub tolerates light topiary at any time during the growing season. For a comprehensive pruning, a date in autumn or spring is a wise choice. So that the subshrub gets through the cold season healthy, pile up the root disc with leaves or needle brushwood. Pots are given a winter coat made of jute or foil and a warm wooden base.
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    Which location is suitable?

    The spindle shrub is one of the sun worshipers. Variegated species, in particular, cannot get enough of the sun to showcase their blaze of colour. Their unicoloured, evergreen conspecifics do their best even in semi-shade. All important site conditions at a glance:

    • Sunny to partially shaded position
    • Warm, protected and without a cold draft
    • Freshly moist to moderately dry soil
    • Humos, nutritious and with good drainage

    In view of this flexible attitude, the spindle shrub is often used to green graves that can only be visited irregularly for maintenance work.
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    What soil does the plant need?

    The spindle shrub thrives in any normal garden soil. The subshrub achieves its optimum in loose, humus-rich soil, rich in nutrients and with a structure that ranges from fresh and moist to sandy and loamy. As long as the tree does not have to deal with waterlogging or compacted soil, it will meet horticultural expectations.

    When is flowering time?

    Although the attractive foliage is the focus of interest, a spindle shrub still delights us with its delicate flowers. Depending on the species and variety, the green-white flowers appear from May to June or from June to July. The sunnier the location, the more lush the blossoms will be.

    Properly cut spindle bush

    Thanks to its frugal pruning tolerance, the spindle shrub has occupied one of the top places in the ranking of popular trees for years. If sprouts disturb the harmonious shape, they can be trimmed throughout the growing season. Autumn and early spring have proved their worth for a comprehensive shape and maintenance cut. On this occasion, the subshrub is thoroughly thinned out so that light and air can reach all regions again. For a hedge cut that lasts a long time, we recommend the days of St. John's Day on June 24th as the second cut date.
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    Water spindle bush

    The dense foliage causes a high degree of evaporation. Therefore, water a spindle bush regularly, as drought stress will kill the entire plant. In the bucket, this is sometimes necessary every day on hot summer days. In addition, evergreen species continue to lose moisture in winter, so that the watering can is still used when there is a frost.

    Fertilize spindle shrub properly

    The nutrient requirement is covered with the two doses of compost and horn shavings (32.93€). A start fertilization in March/April is followed by another application in June. If a spindle bush thrives in a tub, the supplies are used up more quickly. In this case, administer a commercially available liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks from April. This year's nutrient supply ends in August so that the subshrub matures in time for winter.

    hibernate

    Since a spindle shrub only develops its winter hardiness over the years, we recommend the following precautions for healthy overwintering:

    • Before the first frost, pile up the root disk in the bed with leaves, brushwood or straw
    • Cover the bucket with foil, place on wood and cover the substrate with wood shavings or leaves
    • Put smaller pots in a bright, frost-free winter quarters

    Evergreen spindle shrubs experience drought stress in winter when there is no snow or rain. Therefore, water the subshrubs on mild days.

    Propagate Spindle Bush

    Since the spindle shrub thrives as a semi-shrub, it offers the hobby gardener an uncomplicated method of propagation. In summer, sunk a clay flower pot in the ground next to a healthy specimen. Fill this with a mix of potting soil and sand. Now pull an outer, semi-lignified branch to the ground so that the middle part in the pot can be covered with substrate. To fix it, place a stone on it and tie the tip of the shoot to a small wooden stick. Slightly scratching the bark promotes rooting. Within a few months, the pot is completely rooted, so that the sinker can be separated from the mother plant and planted in the new location.
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    Is spindle tree poisonous?

    Unfortunately, the indestructible spindle bush has a downside. This manifests itself in a worryingly high poison content. All parts of the subshrub, especially the small fruits, are so extremely toxic that they are not suitable for cultivation in the home garden. The tiny berries in autumn fit into every child's mouth, where consumption triggers dramatic symptoms of poisoning. This also applies to pets, horses and grazing cattle. For reasons of caution, therefore, dispose of the clippings in the household waste.
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    Beautiful varieties

    • Emerald'n Gold: Gardener's favorite variety thanks to golden variegated leaves as ground cover or small hedge
    • Silver Queen: A feast for the eyes with white variegated foliage that adorns itself with red tips in winter
    • Sunspot: Golden yellow beauty, with creeping growth when young, later upright habit
    • Spindle Tree: A majestic, upright shrub with furious, bright red-orange autumn foliage

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Vegetable garden