The laurel cherry tolerates pruning very well and even rewards this care effort with stronger and denser growth. In order for the tree to sprout again willingly, it is necessary to prune at certain times.
When should you cut cherry laurel?
The ideal time to prune cherry laurel is either immediately after flowering in spring or twice a year: once in spring (end of February to beginning of March) and once in summer (until end of July). Rejuvenation cuts should be performed before March 1st. Cutting is not recommended at temperatures below five degrees.
When should you cut back?
The ideal time depends on what look you want to give the shrub. If you want the cherry laurel to always look even and as neatly trimmed as possible, we recommend at least two prunings a year. If it is enough for you to keep the laurel cherry under control and you prefer the bush to have a natural look, one vigorous cut per year is sufficient.
The two-time pruning
If the cherry laurel is growing very strongly, it should be cut in spring and summer. In this case, it has proven useful to use scissors (€14.00 on Amazon) before the first shoots appear at the end of February to the beginning of March.
Procedure
- Cut off branches that have diseased bark down to the he althy wood, as these are preferred entry points for fungi and diseases.
- Cut out branches that grow inwards so that enough light penetrates into the interior of the bushes.
- Remove all branches that show frost damage.
Then straighten the crooked edges and shorten the shoots. You can also cut deep into the old wood. The cherry laurel grows strong again after just a short time.
The second cut of the year
A second pruning is then carried out in the summer until the end of July. This means the shoots can mature sufficiently before the cold season and there is no risk of frost damage. Many garden owners also remove the flower heads when pruning in autumn so that the laurel cherry hardly produces any flowers from which the poisonous berries develop the following autumn. If you don't want to miss out on floral decorations next spring, you should make sure to cut out as few flower buds as possible when pruning in the fall.
The time for the one-time pruning
The cherry laurel is an early bloomer and is best cut immediately after flowering. This spring pruning encourages the cherry laurel to sprout vigorously and densely. As a rule, this one-time cut is enough to keep the bush's growth in check.
When are rejuvenation cuts done
Since the cherry laurel tolerates pruning very well, you can encourage old and bare trees to sprout again with a rejuvenating cut. For bird protection reasons, this cut should be done before March 1st if possible. The robust laurel cherry can even be reset to the cane at this point.
Tip
You can prune cherry laurel all year round. However, if the temperatures are below zero, you should definitely avoid cutting. At temperatures below five degrees, freshly cut branches are at risk of massive frost damage, which severely weakens the shrub.