Strauchveronika, also called Hebe, comes from New Zealand. The pretty perennial, which belongs to the genus Speedwell, is grown in the garden for its beautiful flowers or its evergreen leaves, depending on the variety. What you need to consider when caring for the garden.
How do I care for shrub veronica in the garden?
To care for shrub veronica in the garden, the location should be light to partially shaded, protected from the wind and not too warm, with permeable soil. Do not fertilize in the first year, then use compost occasionally. Conditionally hardy, winter protection and mulch recommended.
The right location for shrub veronica in the garden
Strauchveronika comes from New Zealand and has some demands on the location in the garden:
- bright to partially shaded
- little direct sunlight
- sheltered from the wind
- not too warm location
- permeable soil
If you want to grow Hebe in the garden as a perennial, look for a place where it doesn't get colder than minus five degrees in winter. If such space is not available, it is better to plant shrub veronica in a pot or bucket.
The best time to plant is spring. Then the plant will survive the winter better.
How to care for shrub veronica in the garden
Shrub veronika is easy to care for. Do not let the soil dry out completely, but prevent waterlogging.
Fertilizing is usually not necessary outdoors. You should not apply fertilizer in the first year. Afterwards, it is sufficient to occasionally supply the plants with a little compost (€12.00 on Amazon).
Most shrub veronica species are not hardy
Even if it is often claimed: almost all shrub veronica varieties are not winter hardy. They can tolerate very light frosts up to a maximum of minus five degrees. If the cold lasts longer than a few days, the perennial will freeze. The winter wetness also bothers her.
If you have planted partially hardy shrub veronica like Hebe addenda, you can try to overwinter it with good winter protection.
Cover the ground around the plants with a thick mulch of leaves or grass clippings. Fir branches or brushwood are suitable for covering the heave.
Do not cut back shrub veronica too much before winter, as this encourages freezing. The following spring you can simply shorten frozen branches and trim the plant more into shape.
Tip
If you care for shrub veronica in a pot, make sure to use a well-drained substrate. You can easily make it yourself using potting soil, sand and coconut fiber. To be on the safe side, put drainage in the pot as Hebe does not tolerate waterlogging.
