The Hebe or shrub veronica, which comes from New Zealand, has become a popular ornamental shrub. You can care for Hebe in a pot in the garden, on the balcony or in the house all year round. Tips for proper care of Hebe.
How do you properly care for Hebe in the pot?
When caring for Hebe in the pot, you should water the shrub regularly but not too much, fertilize it every two weeks, repot rarely, cut in spring or autumn, pay attention to pests and diseases and ensure frost-free overwintering.
How do you water Hebe correctly?
Hebe needs more water in summer than in winter. Water sufficiently, but avoid waterlogging. Wait until the top layer of soil is dry several centimeters deep.
How often does it need to be fertilized?
Hebe is an exception because it is fertilized at a time when other plants do not receive fertilizer.
Shrub veronica is fertilized from autumn to spring at fortnightly intervals. A normal liquid fertilizer (€6.00 on Amazon) is sufficient. Avoid wetting the leaves.
When is repotting the Hebe necessary?
You only need to repot Hebe when the pot has become too small. Choose a container that is just a little larger. Shake off the old soil before planting.
How to cut shrub veronica correctly?
Cutting is not absolutely necessary, but it prevents the plant from becoming bald. Cutting takes place in spring or autumn.
What diseases and pests should you watch out for?
- Scale insects
- Spider mites
- Fungal diseases
- Stem rot
Scale insects and spider mites mainly occur when the humidity in the room is very low. Treat an infestation immediately to prevent the pests from spreading.
Fungal diseases and stem rot are usually due to care errors. The substrate is often too moist or waterlogged.
How is Hebe properly wintered?
Even though it is often sold as hardy, Hebe can only tolerate temperatures down to a maximum of minus five degrees for a short time. Large-leaved varieties are not hardy at all and should be grown in a bucket straight away.
Ideally, Hebe is overwintered in a frost-free but as bright place as possible. The temperatures should be between five and ten degrees.
Shrub veronicas that are only grown indoors must be kept cooler in winter.
Tip
Basically, all types of lifting require a lot of light at their location. However, they don't like direct sun that much. Only variegated varieties need several hours of sunshine per day to maintain the foliage colors.
