Fickmännchen or Ysander needs almost no care. You do not need to water or fertilize the ground cover once it is established. Cutting is also unnecessary unless the perennials are completely out of shape or form too many offshoots.
When and how do you cut fat men?
Fatties can be trimmed at any time to keep them in shape, reduce height or limit spread. Cut it back vigorously and wear gloves when handling the poisonous plant.
Fat man tolerates pruning very well
You can't go wrong when cutting Ysander. The ground cover tolerates vigorous pruning at any time of the year.
Pachysandra terminalis, the botanical name of the fat male, grows to a height of 20 to 30 centimeters. If you prefer the ground cover shorter, simply cut it down. The perennials recover quickly and sprout again.
- Cutting possible at any time
- Short the fat man
- Cutting plants into shape
- Separate runners
Limit the spread of Ysander by cutting
Like all ground cover plants, fat man spreads quickly in the garden. The perennials become more sprawling and produce many runners that will take over the entire garden if you let them.
To stop the spread, it is recommended to cut back fat men if necessary. You should also cut off the underground foothills.
The best way to do this is to use a sharp spade (€29.00 on Amazon) that you stick into the ground. Since the roots of the fat man do not extend very deep into the earth, the puncture does not have to be very deep.
Use runners for propagation
You can use cut runners very well for propagation if you want to green additional shaded areas.
Simply dig them up by the roots and place them in the desired new location.
Always cut diseased shoots immediately
If the fat man is too moist, fungal diseases can easily occur.
If detected in time, you can sometimes contain the fungal infestation by cutting the affected shoots.
Wear gloves when cutting
Ysander is poisonous in all parts of the plant. You should therefore definitely wear gloves when cutting and do not leave the cuttings lying around so that pets do not nibble on them and poison themselves.
Tip
If you plant Pachysandra terminalis near a lawn, you should keep enough distance or cut off a piece of the turf. Otherwise there is a risk that the floor will not be sufficiently ventilated. You should always remove grass runners straight away at the beginning.
