Basically, you don't have to cut Hebe or shrub veronica at all. The plant does well without pruning. However, it tends to become bald at the bottom. To prevent brown shoots, cutting the hebe is advisable. When and how to cut Hebe correctly.
When and how should you cut Hebe?
Pruning Hebe is optimal in spring before flowering or in autumn after flowering. The shoots should be shortened by a maximum of a quarter to prevent baldness and to keep the bushes denser. Regular pruning promotes new shoots.
Lifting is to be cut, it is not absolutely necessary
If you don't want to have to do a lot of work cutting your ornamental plants, the non-toxic Hebe is the ideal ornamental shrub. It doesn't need any pruning and still thrives.
However, the lower regions of the Hebe become bare over time because not enough light reaches them. It therefore makes sense to cut back shrub veronica regularly.
Give the shrub a rounded shape when cutting. Light then penetrates into the inner area of the hemisphere so that new shoots can develop there. This will prevent baldness.
When is the best time to cut?
It is best to prune Hebe in early spring, before flowering begins. You can only shorten late varieties in spring.
If you neglected to prune in spring, you can still use scissors in late autumn after flowering.
Cut back only moderately
- Cut hebe in spring or autumn
- Short shoots by a maximum of a quarter
- Repeat pruning annually
- Cut head cuttings in spring
Don't cut Hebe back too much. Shorten the shoots by at most a quarter. Otherwise, shrub veronica will take a long time to recover and will produce fewer flowers.
You should repeat the pruning annually so that the hebe stays in shape.
Cutting head cuttings
An easy way to propagate Hebe is by taking head cuttings. Cut these in early spring. You can also use shoots from pruning.
The cuttings must not be woody. Find a spot directly below a leaf node.
The shoots are placed in potting soil (€6.00 on Amazon) and kept moist. In a favorable location at around 20 degrees, they will sprout roots within a few weeks. As soon as new leaves appear, continue to care for the Hebe cuttings as normal.
Tip
By cutting, you encourage the Hebe to sprout new branches. Regular pruning will give you denser bushes.
