Heather is by no means the same as heather, although common heather and snow heather are very similar. However, due to their different flowering times, both species are cut at different times.
When should you cut back heather?
Heather should be cut back heavily once a year, although the right time depends on the flowering period. Spring is generally a good time for pruning, and you should cut the plants down to a hand's width above the ground.
Time for pruning depends on flowering time
So that the heather plants do not become bare from below, but continue to sprout and bloom beautifully, you must cut them back vigorously at least once a year. The right time depends on the respective species and its flowering time, although spring is never a bad time to cut. Cut the plants to within a hand's width of the ground. You can also carry out autumn pruning on the summer heather, but it is better not to do this on the winter heather - otherwise you will cut off the flower buds and prevent flowering.
Cut cuttings
Heather plants can be easily propagated in spring by lowering them, although propagation from cuttings is the quickest method for quickly obtaining large numbers of young plants. Both heather plants and common heather are propagated by so-called cracklings, which are cut in July.
What are “Risslings”?
Strictly speaking, cracklings are not cut, but rather torn off the plant. A tongue of bark remains, which is cut off except for a short remainder. The high concentration of growth hormones in the bark tongue has a beneficial effect on rooting. If you don't want to be so brutal with your plants, you can of course also cut the cuttings.
Propagate heather through cuttings
The propagation of cuttings in heather plants works best using the following method:
- Remove young side shoots (approx. five to eight centimeters long) from the main shoot,
- by tearing them off downwards.
- A bark tongue from the main shoot remains.
- Make sure to choose branches without flowers or flower buds if possible.
- Twigs with flower buds root more slowly.
- Plant the cuttings in a mixture of equal parts sand, peat and ericaceous soil.
- Cover with a clear plastic wrap.
- After about three weeks, you can gradually remove the plastic wrap.
- Don't forget to water regularly.
- Shading is necessary in very hot weather.
Tip
What you should do from time to time, however, is regularly cleaning out spent inflorescences. In this way you stimulate the plant to produce new flowers again and again.
