Cherry laurel: everything you need to plant and care for

As a hedge, the evergreen cherry laurel provides a perfect privacy screen. We'll show you what to watch out for when planting, pruning and caring for.

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is not only a popular hedge plant because of its good vigor and dense, evergreen leaves. In contrast to other representatives of the rose family (Rosaceae), the robust plant copes well with almost any location and its demands on the soil are also limited. However, a little help is needed for good growth. Adequate fertilization is therefore an absolute must and provides a good basis for cutting. We'll show you how to plant your cherry laurel and, with a little care, quickly raise it into an imposing hedge that gives you your well-deserved privacy.

Buy cherry laurel

When buying cherry laurel, it is important to keep your eyes open. Before buying, consider every single young plant that you want to bring home with you later. Otherwise you face avoidable problems. In the best case scenario, the cherry laurel will only take off slowly, in the worst case scenario you will bring pathogens into your garden paradise. A healthy cherry laurel plant has rich green leaves all year round. Yellow, brown and holey leaves are clear indicators of disease or improper care. In addition, you should not find any deformations, kinked branches or vouchers. Also take a closer look at the point of sale. If the plants are in full sun, dry or swimming in water, the young plants are incredibly stressed and therefore particularly sensitive. But even before you buy, you should think about it. Think carefully about the conditions at the chosen location and how you want to plant your cherry laurel.

More on finding a variety and suitable sources of supply for the Buying a cherry laurel You will find here.

Cherry laurel varieties: also suitable as hedges?

The different cherry laurel varieties differ mainly in the shape and color of their leaves. There are small and large leaves, rich, dark shades of green or foliage with beautiful shades of bronze. But the varieties don't just differ visually. The usability as a hedge is also very dependent on the variety. There are very fast growing varieties like 'Caucasica‘Or particularly bushy, opaque varieties such as the 'Rotundifolia' variety.

And as different as they look, the varieties are just as different in terms of winter hardiness. From relatively frost-sensitive varieties to very frost-hardy, everything is included. So before you buy, think about which properties are most likely to suit your garden project.

A selection hardy and fast growing cherry laurel varieties You will find here. An overview of the best Varieties for cherry laurel hedges we have compiled for you here.

Plant cherry laurel

You can do this by just observing a few small things when planting your cherry laurel within a few years on a dense, high hedge or on an imposing solitary plant delight.

Cherry laurel: when should it be planted?

The best time to plant cherry laurel is in autumn. This gives the plant enough time to take root before the first frost and can then sprout properly for the first time in spring. It is best to choose a dry, snow and frost-free day for planting.

Planting cherry laurel: step-by-step instructions

Cherry laurels are considered to be extremely undemanding and robust. Therefore, almost any location is suitable for the rapidly expanding plants. Whether sun or shade - the cherry laurel is already finding its way up. Nor does it make any special demands on the nature of the soil. However, it just cannot tolerate waterlogging. So loosen very heavy soil with sand and dig up the soil around the planting hole. Once you have found a nice place for your plants, you can start planting out:

1. Plant spacing: 80 - 100 cm
2. Dig out planting holes
3. Lay a drainage layer of sand, gravel or potsherds on the ground
4. Mix the excavated topsoil with compost, manure or horn shavings
5. Place the cherry laurel vertically in the planting hole
6. Place the root ball so that it sits as deep as in the container
7. Fill in the planting hole and step on the soil well
8. Water well

So that the hedges close faster, the planting distance can be reduced to three plants per meter. With container plants, the planting hole should be significantly larger than the plant container. In the case of balled goods, it is advisable that the roots are spread out. You should also put the roots in water for about half an hour before planting. During the period in which your cherry laurel is growing, watering takes place as soon as the surface dries out, because a lot of water evaporates through the large leaves, which increases the risk of drying out.

More about the Plants of cherry laurel can be found here in our special article.

Propagate cherry laurel yourself

Cherry laurels can be propagated using cuttings or runners without any problems. For example, you can easily fill in gaps in your hedge yourself in winter or due to diseases. The propagation of cuttings also offers a high chance of success for the garden novice. It is best to use healthy, approximately 15 cm long shoots as cuttings - these arise one way or another several times a year when pruning. In order for the cuttings to take root, you should do the following:

• Remove the lower leaves
• Shorten the leftover leaves by half
• Fill a small pot with a mixture of sand and earth
• Put the shoot about halfway into the substrate
• Keep the soil well moist, but avoid waterlogging
• Put the foil hood over the pot
• Choose a bright location
• Temperature: around 20 ° C
• It takes a few weeks for roots to form

The leaves are shortened to minimize evaporation. You should also avoid waterlogging so that no mold forms. You can also root the cutting in a glass of water and then plant it in the ground. The cutting should be a few centimeters deep in the water. Propagation via seeds is also possible. However, both germination and the development of a real plant take a relatively long time.

More about Multiplication of the cherry laurel You will find here.

Caring for cherry laurel

Of course, your cherry laurel also wants to be properly cared for. We have briefly summarized below what needs to be considered when it comes to care. A more detailed guide to the ideal Care of the cherry laurel You will find here.

Pour cherry laurel properly

It is advisable to use a watering can, especially on sunny and warm days. In general, cherry laurel is poured when the surface of the earth around the plants has dried out. Since the cherry laurel is one of the deep roots, you should water the root area thoroughly so that the water also reaches the lower roots. In any case, make sure that you avoid waterlogging.

Fertilize cherry laurel properly

Just like us humans, cherry laurels need a lot of nutrients in their bulk phase. In this case, the biceps will not grow, but the shoots will easily increase 40 cm per year. That is why the supply of your cherry laurel starts with the planting. Mix compost or organic slow release fertilizer like ours with the topsoil Plantura organic universal fertilizer to.

Sensible fertilization not only allows your cherry laurel to grow properly, it also supports the plant's resistance to frost. If you still want to think about the environment, you should keep your hands off mineral fertilizers. These are produced in a resource-wasting manner, are more difficult to dose and usually also more expensive. You can find out how you can still optimize fertilization here.

Cut cherry laurel

Regularly pruning your cherry laurel will encourage growth and keep your plants in the shape you want. The vigorous plants are cut for the first time in the first spring after planting. It is then cut back once or twice a year - depending on how fast the variety grows. The first cut takes place in the spring before budding. Here, too, meticulously remove all damage caused by the winter. Frozen or dried-up shoots are cut back deep into the healthy wood. The second cut takes place from the end of May to the beginning of June, but no later than the beginning of August. The shape is only slightly cut here. Do not choose a day that is too wet or too sunny for the pruning, otherwise there is a risk of fungal infections or sunburn. In addition, do not use electric scissors for the pruning. This seriously injures the large leaves, which means that the plants look more torn than well-groomed. In addition, the injured leaves turn brown and unsightly. Good, solid craftsmanship with sharp secateurs can help.

Always work with gloves and do not touch your face with your fingers. Because cherry laurel leaves secrete a plant sap on their underside, which can lead to contact allergies. More about Toxicity of the cherry laurel You will find here.

Note: Due to the many cutbacks, a lot of cut material is generated. In the case of cherry laurel, this rots rather moderately well. You should therefore ensure that the compost is well mixed and layered with soil.

More about the right one Cut of the cherry laurel we have summarized it here in a special article.

Cherry laurel: diseases and poor growth

Although the rose plants (Rosaceae) as extremely robust, but nutrient and water deficiencies in particular are quickly noticeable in them and lead to an increased susceptibility to diseases.

Cherry laurel: yellow and brown leaves

There are many reasons why the once bright green leaves of your cherry laurel can have shades of yellow and brown, such as the following:

1. Soil compaction and waterlogging
2. sunburn
3. Frost and freezing frost
4. Too little or too much water supply
5. Fungal infections
6. Nutrient deficiency (nitrogen, iron)
7. Leaves were injured while cutting (electric scissors)
8. Pot too small
9. Calcareous soil with a pH that is too high
10. Relocation stress

More detailed information on yellow and brown leaves in cherry laurel and how to prevent this can be found here in this special article.

Cherry laurel is losing leaves

It is quite normal that the evergreen plants occasionally lose leaves. Leaf margin necrosis (brown leaf margins) usually occurs on older leaves before they sail towards the ground. But if the leaves pile up or if all leaves are shed, this has other reasons. The reasons are the same as the previously mentioned leaf discoloration, because the next stage in this process is the shedding of the damaged leaves. Proceed here as described in the previous section.

Cherry laurel does not want to grow

If your laurel does not shoot up as expected, this may be due to incorrect care or simply to the growth characteristics of the variety. Therefore, find out about the rate of growth of your cherry laurel variety before you get frustrated. Particularly fast-growing cherry laurel varieties You will find here. If it is not due to the selected variety, the following reasons for the sparse growth are possible:

• Too little / too much water
• Pests, diseases
• Too little fertilizer
• Cut back too little
• Compacted, heavy soil

How to get your plant back to peak shape:

1. Pour well; Avoid waterlogging
2. Remove sick parts of plants and fight the pests / diseases (s. below)
3. Fertilization twice a year (you can find more information on the care and fertilization of cherry laurel here)
4. Cut back twice a year (see p. above)
5. Dig up, improve the soil, replant

Do not forget about watering, especially in winter. Especially on sunny days, the cherry laurel loses a lot of water through its leaves, even in the cold season. You can improve the soil by working coarse sand and compost into the soil. When pruning in spring, cut out the flower buds. As a result, all energy is put into the formation of the instinct.

Cherry laurel: Common pests and diseases

The cherry laurel is particularly troubled by waterlogging, but also by stress, because the moisture promotes fungal infections. The most common diseases of cherry laurel include:

• Shotgun Sickness: Perforated leaves with red-brown spots
• Wrong mildew: Yellow spots on the leaf; white deposits on the underside of the leaf
• Powdery mildew: Coating on the upper side of the leaf

In the case of fungal infections, remove the infected leaves and dispose of them so that the infection does not spread in the first place. If the infestation is more severe, especially powdery mildew, you should consider fungicide treatment. So that it doesn't get that far in the first place, you can treat your plants with Algan (Neudorf), for example, and of course you should avoid waterlogging.

The most common pest is the Vine weevilwhich, as a larva, eats the roots and thus damages them. As a result, the plant can absorb less water and nutrients, grows weaker or even dries up at some point. Even when fully grown, the nocturnal beetles are opponents of every cherry laurel lover, because they eat small bays in the leaf margins. To combat it, clay pots filled with wood wool are placed under the infected plants. These are used by the beetles as resting places during the day. The beetles cuddled in the wood wool are then disposed of along with this during the day and the pots are filled with new wood wool.

Cherry laurels are ideal for planting as hedges. Further easy-care hedgesthat can serve as a privacy screen for your garden can be found in this article.