Cutting cherry laurel - detailed instructions with illustrations

How to cut cherry laurel correctly - tutorial with all types of cut

Cut tolerance allows various types of cuts - options with dates

The combination of multifaceted varieties and patient cut tolerance qualifies cherry laurel for a wide range of uses. As a representative solitary, opaque hedge, decorative topiary, distinctive tall trunk or elegant ground cover, the ornamental shrub always cuts a fine figure. The following table summarizes the appropriate types of cut with information on the best dates:

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Cut type	target	Appointment option I.	Appointment option II
Plant pruning	dense branching from base to tip	after planting	in the spring after planting
Hedge construction cut	Gradual training in a trapezoidal shape up to the final height	Late January to early March	Late June to late July
Main hedge cut	Thinning, healthy growth, control of height and width	Late January to early March	no
Hedge trimming	Preservation of shape	End of June (Midsummer Day)	End of July to mid-August
Solitaire conservation cut	Thinning and shaping	Late January to early March	no
Rejuvenation pruning solitary or hedge	Revitalization of bald shrubs	End of January to March 1st	no
Ground cover conservation pruning	Thinning, growth control	if necessary in winter until March 1st	no
High trunk training cut	Raising a spherical crown with a short trunk	after planting	several times per growing season

Please note the suitable weather conditions for the exact date selection. A cut in winter should take place at temperatures above freezing point and not in direct sunlight. For summer cut care, please choose a dry, overcast day because rain increases the susceptibility to fungal infections at the cut points.

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Observe the grace period for radical pruning

In the above summary table for large cutting measures rightly information summer schedule option II missing. To protect nesting birds and other wildlife writes the Federal Nature Conservation Act for pruning a summer grace period before. In-depth cutbacks, such as thinning out or putting on the stick, are permitted in the period from October 1st to March 1st . During the breeding season, moderate pruning may be carried out, provided that they are limited to this year's growth. Before starting the pruning work, the trees must be carefully examined for nesting or wintering wild animals in order to postpone the planned pruning time if necessary.

Plant pruning promotes dense branching - this is how the cutting premiere succeeds

This tutorial is extensively devoted to pruning a cherry laurel for good reason. Regardless of whether you plant the evergreen deciduous shrub as a solitary or a hedge, pruning is aimed at densely branched growth from the base to the tip. The one-hand secateurs with bypass mechanism are perfectly suited for a targeted cut. The scissors cut with two sharp blades and leave smooth edges. The perfect plant cut is so easy:

The best time is after planting
Sharpen, clean and disinfect scissor blades with alcohol
Put on gloves to protect against the poisonous sap
Cut back all shoots in half
Make a cut at a distance of 3 to 5 millimeters from an outward-facing sheet

The figure below illustrates the extent of the planting pruning. In contrast to other woody plants, pruning cherry laurels is also advisable when it comes to container goods. If the young plants are bare-rooted, carefully examine the root system before planting. Please cut off any damaged or kinked root strands as a result of the clearing in the nursery.

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Plant pruning benefits from growth law

The result of a dense branching on young cherry laurels after pruning is based on the growth law of peak promotion. This means that a tree or shrub always grows the strongest in the shoot tips, because most of the nutrients are transported to the tip bud. Buds below, proportionally to their distance from the branch tip, sprout weaker. By removing the upper buds on each shoot when pruning, the vigor is distributed to the lower part of the shrub. The sap pressure is even stronger because it has a shorter distance to travel.

Build up cherry laurel hedge successively - assembly cut instructions

Popular cherry laurel varieties for hedge planting gain up to 40 centimeters in height per year. Although the pruning ensured a fairer distribution of the nutrients, the top buds still gain the upper hand. So that the lower hedge regions are not left behind, we recommend a gradual build up to the desired final height. Here's how to do it properly:

Cut to the final height twice a year in late winter and summer
Measure the cut back so that the hedge is 10 centimeters high
Aimed at a conical shape with a wider base and a slightly narrower hedge crown

Please include all sides of the hedge in the construction cut . The perfect cutting technique on evergreen trees starts just above an outwardly directed, healthy leaf. In this way you avoid cutting into the beautiful leaves and encourage vital budding.

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Light-flooded cherry laurel hedge thanks to the trapezoidal shape

The dense foliage makes it difficult for the sun's rays to get into the hedge. You can encourage light-flooded growth by cutting your cherry laurel hedge in a conical shape. Similar to a trapezoid, the shrubs thrive with a broad base that tapers towards the crown. In combination with a regular clearing cut, the branches in the center of the hedge cannot complain about a lack of light supply and cheerfully carry out photosynthesis for densely branched growth.

Take a bold approach to the main hedge pruning - instructions for clearing pruning

Cherry laurel owes its high esteem as a hedge plant to its excellent pruning tolerance, which continues seamlessly after the planting and topping-up pruning. Based on the vigor of the planted variety, you can use scissors up to three times a year for a neat appearance. The main cut also includes the thorough clearing of the entire hedge. How to proceed correctly step by step:

The best time is in late winter between the end of January and the beginning of March (observe the Federal Nature Conservation Act)
In the first step, cut out dead wood from the hedge using one-hand scissors or a folding saw
Cut the hedge back to the desired height and width on all sides
Ideally, do not cut into the leaves, but a short distance from an outward-growing leaf

In order to maintain the advantageous conical shape of the hedge , stretch cords for orientation between wooden stakes that you hammer into the earth at the ends of the hedge.

Safe on the garden ladder

The sturdy garden ladder is part of the basic equipment for cutting a privacy hedge. Pay particular attention when purchasing your safety by choosing a product with the “GS” label for “tested safety”. Also ensure that you have a secure footing. A leaning ladder can twist or slip on wet leaves. As a precaution, tie the ladder with ropes. For hedge trimming we recommend a folding ladder, optionally with rubber caps for paved areas or metal spikes for open ground.

Repeated maintenance cuts keep the cherry laurel hedge in shape

Vigorous cherry laurel varieties require more than the main clearing cut for a hedge to retain its well-groomed appearance. Two more editing dates are appropriate. The first growth spurt of the season is over at the end of June, so you can enjoy the cutting result for a long time. A last cut in August, on the other hand, needs to be carefully considered because flower buds that have already been created fall victim to it. In return, the evergreen hedge shines through the entire winter as if peeled from an egg. This is how the skilful care cut succeeds:

Carefully examine the hedge for inhabited bird nests
Mark the cut shape with stretched cords
Cut back any branches sticking out of the mold
When cutting, always keep your eyes on the uncut hedge area
First cut the sides and flanks into shape
Then cut the top of the hedge

The figure below shows that the maintenance cut is focused on this year's growth . A fully grown cherry laurel hedge is prevented in this way from expanding in height or width undesirably. Deeper pruning measures take place outside of the summer grace period to protect nesting birds. If you follow our date recommendation, many birds have ended their breeding business at the end of June anyway. If there are still feathered families in the hedge, please postpone the cutting time until later.

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Cut electrically or by hand?

The elegantly shiny leaves are up to 14 centimeters long and 4 centimeters wide. Cutting a cherry laurel with the electric hedge trimmer (€ 135.56 at Amazon *) leaves a picture of devastation in the foliage. The large leaves inevitably get caught in the opposing cutter bar and are literally shredded. As a result, the cuts on the fleshy bay leaves dry up with unsightly brown edges. The use of a manual hedge trimmer has the advantage of a controlled cut and guarantees an optimal cut.)

Cut solitaire every now and then - guidelines for conservation pruning

If a cherry laurel acts as a representative solitary, pruning is limited to occasional thinning and shortening of shoots that are too long. After pruning the plant, you can let the wood grow and enjoy the naturally beautiful habit. Vigorous varieties respond positively to maintenance pruning at 3-year intervals. Slow-growing varieties get by with a cut every 4 to 6 years. How to complete the solitaire conservation cut with flying colors:

The best time is between late January and early March
Cut off dead, weak and cross-growing branches at the roots
Too long shoots lead to a young side branch in the lower area

The linchpin for professional maintenance cuts is the cutting technique. Do not cut a cherry laurel anywhere, always in close proximity to an outward-facing leaf. As the figure below suggests, you can avoid unsightly gaps by shortening excessively long shoots so that a young side branch below serves as the new tip of the shoot.

Rejuvenation of cherry laurel as a solitary and hedge - this is how it works

Time does not go by without a trace on any cherry laurel. If the shrub or hedge is of an advanced age, over-strong branches or balding regions form inside the plant. Cherry laurels, which are not given a regular cut, have a similar experience. With a radical rejuvenation cut, a breath of fresh air comes into growth. This is how the cut is equally successful on solitary and hedge:

The best time is in winter by the beginning of March at the latest (observe the Federal Nature Conservation Act)
Cut off dead shoots at the base
As shown in the illustration below, cut all branches back to 50 centimeters
Place scissors a few millimeters above a leaf, a bud or a sleeping eye

The rejuvenating cut is also referred to in gardening terms as “putting on the stick”. Indeed, the radical cut on completely aged cherry laurels leaves a small framework of young ground shoots. From this the plant sprouts freshly until summer.

Cutting the ground cover laurel cherry correctly - tips for pruning

The laurel cherry 'Mount Vernon' is very popular with home gardeners as an evergreen ground cover. The shiny, narrow leaves are up to 11 centimeters long and gather in a dense foliage that reliably suppresses weeds. With an annual growth of 5 to 15 centimeters, creeping cherry laurel shows a leisurely growth. Accordingly, pruning measures are rarely on the maintenance program:

The best time is in early spring before budding begins
Check the ground cover shrubs for deadwood every 2 to 3 years
Cut out dead branches at the roots

If the shoots extend beyond the assigned area, simply cut them back. Proceed in a similar way with branches that are crosswise or inward.

Tips

With ground cover cherry laurel, you can save yourself the planting pruning and benefit from the growth law of the top side promotion. On branches growing diagonally or horizontally, the buds sprout with uniform vigor. In the absence of an upright top bud, the nutrients are evenly distributed over all the buds. The eyes on the tops of the branches are preferred because they are positioned closer to the light. Regular thinning has a beneficial effect on the dense, leafy growth of ground cover laurel cherries.

Raising cherry laurel to a high stem - this is how it works

Thanks to its exceptionally good cut tolerance, cherry laurel is predestined for decorative tall stems. Resourceful home gardeners have only discovered the attractive version of pruning care for the small garden and cultivation in the tub in recent years. Ready-to-use cherry laurel stems are expensive because they involve a lot of cutting work. A point of honor for the ambitious hobby gardener to take the education into their own hands. This is how it works:

Select young plants with a stable, straight central shoot
Connect the central shoot as a future trunk to a support rod
Cut off all side shoots seamlessly
Parallel to growth, guide the central shoot on the support rod to the desired height

In this tutorial you have already familiarized yourself with the growth law of peak funding. The regularity plays an important role in the formation of the crown . Only cut off the tip bud when it is 4 to 6 leaves above the desired crown height. The sap pressure is then distributed to the lower-lying leaf and shoot buds, so that the cherry laurel branches to the crown. You continue to cut off superfluous side shoots along the central shoot without a trace.

Similar to pruning a cherry laurel hedge, you dedicate yourself to shaping the spherical crown in June and August. In addition, thin out the crown of the older tall trunk in late winter to encourage the growth of young crown branches. Extra-long branches protruding from the shape should ideally be derived from a younger branch.

Prefer dwarf varieties

For raising tall stems, majestic laurel cherries are not the best choice. For the sapling version, please use dwarf varieties. 'Etna' remains at a height of 150 to 200 centimeters, making it ideal for the bucket. 'Piri' grows up to 100 centimeters high and, thanks to its rounded shape, is perfect for raising a small tree with a spherical crown.

frequently asked Questions

Is cherry laurel poisonous?

All cherry laurel varieties contain glycosides and other toxins. The highest concentration of toxins is found in the black berries. Chewed seeds turn into poisonous hydrocyanic acid in the stomach. Medical professionals rate 10 seeds as a lethal dose for humans. But even the leaves can cause severe symptoms of poisoning after consumption, such as vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. Planting cherry laurel is therefore not advisable for the family garden with small children and pets.

Use clippings for propagation - is that possible?

In fact, with each pruning you have a large number of splendid cuttings in your hands for uncomplicated propagation. Mostly non-flowering, half-woody shoot tips (herbaceous in the tip, woody at the bottom) have plenty of vigor in their luggage to transform into a magnificent cherry laurel. The right cutting is 10 to 15 centimeters long. Remove all but two at the top. These are cut in half to reduce evaporation. Put one prepared cutting into a pot with a mixture of soil and sand or admire its roots in a glass of water.

Which varieties are best for a cherry laurel hedge?

Under the name cherry laurel, a colorful dance of different varieties comes together. For cultivation as a hedge plant, we would like to recommend the variety 'Herbergii', also known as 'Upright cherry laurel'. The Primus inspires with glossy green, elliptical leaves, stiffly upright growth and pronounced location tolerance. With a height of 250 cm and a width of 150 cm, the cherry laurel thrives with ideal dimensions for a hedge plant. Also recommended is the cherry laurel 'Caucasica' with its somewhat slimmer shape and pronounced frost resistance for regions with rough winter conditions.

Frost damage to a young cherry laurel - what to do?

If winter comes back parallel to the fresh budding, frost damage to the cherry laurel is inevitable. Young plants in particular have not yet fully developed the robust frost hardiness of adult shrubs and have to pay for it with frozen branch tips. Thanks to the excellent cut tolerance, you can easily repair the damage. When there is no longer any fear of belated frosts from mid-May, cut the affected cherry laurel back into the healthy wood.

We would like to transplant a 5 year old, so far uncut cherry laurel in the garden. Should we cut the bush at the same time?

After five years of standing, an uncut cherry laurel has reached impressive dimensions and developed a correspondingly voluminous root system. In connection with a change of location, a large proportion of the roots are lost. By properly pruning the branches, you restore the balance between underground and above-ground growth. Because it is easy to cut, you can cut back a cherry laurel by up to two thirds to compensate for the lost root volume.

What to do with the cuttings of cherry laurel?

The thick-fleshed, large leaves of cherry laurel rot only slowly. In addition, leaves and shoots contain toxins that are harmful to human and animal health. Disposal on compost or on pastures does not make sense. Put the clippings in the organic waste bin. You pack larger quantities in sacks or on the car trailer and bring them to the nearest composting or garbage facility, where the clippings are accepted free of charge.

The 3 most common mistakes when cutting cherry laurel

The high tolerance towards pruning measures does not imply that the cherry laurel can never be pruned. On the contrary, the numerous references to simple pruning lead many home gardeners to disregard important prin- ciples of pruning. The following table draws attention to the 3 most common cutting errors and gives tips on prevention and damage limitation.

Cutting errors	Damage	Prevention / Correction
no plant pruning	bare bush base from the start	always carry out plant pruning; Rejuvenation cut and rebuild
never exposed	Balding in the interior of the bush or hedge	Thinning out the hedge every year, thinning the bush every 3 to 4 years
Do not hedge in a trapezoidal shape	sparsely branched hedge base, premature aging from below	Hedge cut in the broad base that tapers towards the tip

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Tips

As an evergreen ornamental wood, a cherry laurel loses moisture in every season. Extensive watering is not only important during dry periods in summer. When the frost has closed the ground in winter and there is no blanket of snow, the cherry laurel comes under drought stress. She is therefore very grateful for regular watering even during the cold season.