The real laurel is not only a practical and attractive potted plant for use as a medicinal and spice herb after the leaves have been harvested. If propagated accordingly, it can also be used to plant hedges along sunny walls in mild locations.
How do you grow laurel cuttings?
Laurel cuttings can be grown from cuttings, root runners or seeds. Cut cuttings approx. 15 cm long and root them in a glass of water or growing substrate. Root runners can be separated with the root portion and planted. Plant seeds approx. 1 cm deep in sandy substrate and keep moist.
Propagate laurel through cuttings
Propagate laurel from cuttings is beneficial for various reasons. Since the laurel can achieve strong growth with good care, you should regularly cut it back to the desired shape. However, when conveniently cut with an electric hedge trimmer, the relatively large leaves are unsightly cut, so that they then turn brown and are susceptible to disease. An alternative is to manually cut individual branches with secateurs (€14.00 on Amazon), whereby the resulting branches can be used as cuttings. These are rooted either in a glass of water or in growing substrate. With the latter method, you should place small plastic cups over the branches to increase the humidity.
Use root runners for propagation
When growing laurel outdoors or in pots, root runners can naturally form completely unexpectedly. If these leave the radius you want at a location, you can use them for propagation. Cut off the runners with a piece of root and plant them in a sunny spot or in a pot on the balcony. Make sure there is sufficient water supply in the first few weeks after separating from the mother plant.
Growing laurel cuttings from seeds
Growing offshoots from seeds requires some time, but it is also relatively easy. Simply follow the steps below:
- soaking the seeds in water for about two days
- Place the seeds about a centimeter deep in sandy substrate
- keep the seeds evenly warm and moist for about two to three weeks during germination
Tips & Tricks
If you want to use laurel branches for growing offshoots, you should not use completely fresh shoots as their leaves are still too soft and sensitive.
