Should I also prune a finger bush as a ground cover?
If you have planted a finger bush as a ground cover, then you want the plant to spread widely. At first glance, cutting back seems to be counterproductive. But appearances are deceptive, because by cutting you stimulate the finger bush to increase and denser growth. In this way you improve the appearance and at the same time ensure a more abundant flowering.
also read
- How to care for your finger bush - tips and tricks
- Is the finger bush poisonous?
- Is the finger bush suitable for a hedge planting?
When should I prune my finger bush?
In some situations, pruning your finger shrub is practically inevitable if you want the shrub to stay healthy and in good shape. A slight pruning in late summer or autumn is mainly used for shaping. In the case of a hedge made of finger bushes, an (additional) cut in spring may be useful.
You can cut off sick or dried up shoots at any time, as close as possible to the base. This is usually the first step in the annual pruning. However, if there is a pest infestation, you should react promptly. If you wait too long, it may not be possible to save your finger bush. Therefore do not cut too timidly but right into the healthy wood.
If your finger bush gets a little blooming as it gets older, even though you prune it every year, then the time has come for a rejuvenating pruning. The same is true if your finger bush turns a little bare. This usually happens in the lower area.
Reasons for pruning the finger bush:
- Aging or balding of the shrub
- Create and / or maintain form
- Stimulate growth
- Bush becomes lazy to flower
- Pest infestation
Can I cut back the finger bush radically?
The finger bush can also tolerate radical pruning. In order to prevent the shrub from becoming bald or aging, such a cut is necessary from time to time; a regular shape cut is usually not sufficient for this. So every two to three years you should pick up your knife a little more courageously. The best time for this is early spring.
Can I also cut cuttings from the finger bush?
The finger bush is very suitable for propagation by cuttings. To do this, cut off shoots about 15 to 20 centimeters long in late autumn or winter, which you will grow indoors by spring.
The essentials in brief:
- best time for pruning: autumn or early spring
- Do not perform radical incisions often, at most every 2 to 3 years
- Always remove dead or injured shoots promptly
Tips
The finger bush flowers mainly on the young shoots. Regular pruning is therefore advisable for lush flowering.
