The real laurel (Laurus nobilis) is not only a valued spice and medicinal plant, it can sometimes also be overwintered outdoors in protected locations in this country. This makes it a suitable plant variety for planting evergreen and opaque hedges all year round.
How do you propagate laurel by cuttings?
Laurel is propagated by cuttings in August or September by cutting off half-ripe branches that are at least 20 cm long, removing the lower leaves, placing them in a humus-rich, loose growing substrate with added peat and sand and providing sufficient moisture and indirect Sunlight provides.
Cut cuttings from the mother plants
Since the real laurel can achieve strong growth per year after a certain age, propagation from cuttings as part of the general pruning of the plants is a practical option for propagation. The best time to propagate laurel from cuttings is in August and September. Then cut branches at least 20 centimeters long from the laurel bush and remove the lower leaves. It is important that you cut half-ripe cuttings if possible. This means that the respective shoots should not be completely old and woody, but they should also not be completely fresh shoots with light green, soft leaves.
The right substrate for propagating laurel through cuttings
Basically, for all types of cutting propagation, it is important that the cuttings are placed in a substrate with uniform moisture. Therefore, mix a certain amount of peat (€15.00 at Amazon) and sand into a growing substrate that is as humus-rich and loose as possible. Although the real laurel loves full sun locations, cuttings should not necessarily be exposed to the full power of the sun. They would probably dry out and therefore be unable to develop roots. It has proven to be advantageous if increased humidity is maintained during the rooting phase by covering it with plastic film or placing it in a greenhouse.
Alternatives to propagation through cuttings
The following factors are important for the successful propagation of laurel through cuttings:
- cutting suitable shoot tips
- a sufficiently large pot
- a suitable substrate for consistent soil moisture
- lots of patience until the roots develop
If you already have laurel plants in your garden or on the balcony, another option for propagation is sometimes possible. The spice laurel tends to form root runners, which can be cut off as offshoots and planted in their own pot.
Tips & Tricks
Propagation of the spice laurel Laurus nobilis is also possible via seeds, but a lot of patience is required until the first harvest of leaves for the kitchen.