Types of cuts and dates
The floral charisma of laurel is not based on its delicate, yellowish flowers. It is the dark green, elliptical leaves on upright shoots that spread the Mediterranean magic in the garden or house. the subtropical origin prohibits planting the evergreen wood in most regions. The majority of home gardeners choose to keep them in pots. Their mobility allows them to be given the green ambassador from the Mediterranean in good time before winter. Before and after the weather-related relocation, a laurel bush benefits from a cut. But the wood also has nothing to object to the use of scissors between loading and unloading. In summary, the following table provides important Types of cuts and dates before:
also read
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| Cut type | Goal / occasion | Appointment option I. | Appointment option II | Appointment option III |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body section shrub | shapely growth, dense foliage | February March | June July | before putting away |
| Parenting cut Hochstämchen | Section training of trunk and crown | February March | June July | before putting away |
| Form and maintenance cut | Growth control, thinning out dead wood, maintaining shape | before clearing out | June July | before putting away |
| Taper cut | Revitalize aged laurel | Late winter | no | no |
Build up the laurel bush in an elegant way
With upright, densely leafed branches, laurel is an ornament as a shrub. A step-by-step build-up section makes a valuable contribution to well-formed growth. Don't just let a young laurel grow tall. By pruning it at least once a year, you create a sap jam that encourages branching. How to do it right:
- Build up the laurel bush with 5 to 7 strong ground shoots as a framework
- Cut off all remaining ground shoots at the base
- In February / March and June / July cut back the previous growth to a pair of opposite leaves
Extend a scaffold drive by about 10 centimeters per year. Also limit their number. In this way, you will build a laurel bush with compact growth. This is the ideal prerequisite for artistic shaped cuts as columns, cones, spirals or imaginative sculptures.
Raising laurel to a high trunk
The good cut tolerance makes laurel the ideal candidate for the upbringing of the representative tall trunk. The education begins on the day of planting and continues over a number of years. How to master cutting training in an exemplary manner:
- On the day of planting, select the strongest ground shoot and tie it to the support post
- Remove remaining ground shoots as competitors
- Regularly defoliate the central shoot as a future trunk and line it up on the stake
As the figures below illustrate, the Cut of the trunk tip the Branches to the crown a. Wait with the capping of the tip bud until these four to six pairs of leaves are enthroned over the planned crown base. Please remove shoots competing with the trunk as soon as possible, as do all side shoots below the crown.
Do not cap the top of the central stem until the desired stem height has been reached. The tip bud should be at least 4 to 6 leaves above the base of the crown when the cut is made. A subsequent extension in height rarely succeeds.
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The tip bud has to give way for the crown formation
Shape and preserve laurel
If a laurel has successfully completed the development of a bush or the training to become a high stem, the pruning is aimed at preservation. The robust cut tolerance makes it possible to use scissors regularly from spring to autumn. This is how shape and vitality are preserved:
- Thin out dead shoots in spring
- Also cut out unfavorably standing branches protruding into the interior of the crown or bush
- Long branches derive on a lower, outward-pointing side shoot
The best time for the main cut is in February or March, in good time before budding begins. Please cut each branch of the laurel individually. Ideally, place the scissors 3 to 5 millimeters above a pair of leaves.
With 5 to 7 scaffold shoots, a laurel bush sets itself in the limelight. Cut back excessively long shoots sticking out of the mold. Dead and inward branches are removed.
Digression
Cut the laurel with one-hand secateurs
Rejuvenate old laurel
Those who do not blur their laurels for a number of years struggle with a balding, misshapen network of old and young shoots. With a radical rejuvenation cut, you can help the aged wood to make a glamorous comeback. The secret of success lies in sleeping eyesfrom which Laurus nobilis sprouts again. The following sequence has proven itself well in practice:
- The best time is in late winter
- First remove all dead wood from the bush or crown
- Cut back the remaining shoots by half to two thirds
A strategic cut optimizes the success of the measure. Take a look at each old ground shoot or crown branch individually. If the shoot has a young, vital side branch in the lower area, cut old and young wood at the fork.
frequently asked Questions
Can laurel overwinter outside?
North of the Alps, laurel is not hardy. If the thermometer falls below -5 degrees Celsius, fatal frost damage is to be feared up to and including total failure. We recommend cultivation in a bucket for most regions in Germany. Exceptions apply to protected locations in wine-growing regions with mild winter conditions or in valleys on the Lower Rhine. Without extensive protective measures, a laurel as a shrub or high trunk cannot overwinter in any location. A warming cover made of fleece and an insulating wooden base are indispensable even on the Ahr and Moselle.
Are the leaves of a laurel tree edible?
In fact, bay laurel is a herb that is valued around the world. The aromatic, fragrant leaves give warm and cold dishes a special flavor. Bay leaves are popular as an ingredient in stews, gravies, vegetables and meat dishes. Sour cucumbers are pickled with a few bay leaves according to a classic recipe. By the way, you can also use the small black berries for culinary purposes. If you add a few laurel berries to game dishes, you will be able to enjoy a delicious treat.
Can I use clippings from laurel bushes for propagation?
One of the many advantages of laurel is the rapid rooting of cuttings. What you cannot use from the clippings as a spice store for the kitchen is suitable for uncomplicated propagation. The best time is in late summer. Well suited are 15 cm long, not completely woody, half-ripe shoot tips, which you defoliate in the lower half and in Potting soil put.
My laurel tree spent the winter in the Ahr valley (hardiness zone 7) and is now partly brown in March. Has the tree frozen to death? Can pruning save the plant?
A bay tree must not be exposed to frosty temperatures below -5 degrees Celsius for long periods of time. This premise also applies to wine-growing regions with mild winter conditions. As long as the branches are still green to cream-colored inside, you can still save the tree. Cut all frozen shoots back into the healthy wood and apply an organic fertilizer for green plants.
The 3 most common mistakes
Laurel with tattered leaves and brown edges is the victim of a typical cutting error. The same thing happened to a tall trunk that remains at a measly height and simply doesn't want to grow anymore. To protect the readers of this tutorial from classic damage, the following overview lists the three most common mistakes when cutting laurel:
| Cutting errors | Damage image | prevention |
|---|---|---|
| with electrical Shrub shears cut | shredded leaves with brown margins | always cut with one-handed secateurs |
| The tip of the trunk is cut prematurely | very small tall trunk without any increase in height | Top bud first cut 4 to 6 buds above the base of the crown |
| never cut | misshapen growth, baldness from the inside out | Cut and thin out at least once a year |
Tips
At first glance, real bay laurel and cherry laurel look very similar. On closer inspection, striking differences become apparent, which have far-reaching consequences for cultivation. Real bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) thrives primarily as a cold-sensitive herb. Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), on the other hand, is hardy and has become one of the most popular hedge plants in Central Europe. In terms of a magnificent, evergreen foliage and robust cut tolerance, both trees pull together.
