Privet can be grown very well in a bucket. This way you can create a privacy screen on the terrace or in the garden that you can move as you wish. However, the robust shrub requires more care if you plant it in a pot.
Can you keep privet in a pot?
Growing privet in a pot is possible if there is a sufficiently large pot (at least 30 cm in diameter), good substrate, drainage and regular care. This includes regular watering, occasional fertilizing, repotting every 2-3 years and pruning as needed.
Can privet be grown in a pot?
For privet to thrive in a pot, a few requirements must be met.
The pot must be large enough to give the roots enough space. The diameter should not be less than 30 cm. A drainage hole is urgently needed as privet cannot tolerate waterlogging. To be on the safe side, you should create drainage in the bottom of the pot and place the pot on the terrace or in the garden without a saucer.
How to care for privet in a pot
- Water regularly
- fertilize occasionally
- repot every two to three years
- cut as needed
When watering, make sure that the substrate is always slightly moist but never wet. Fertilize with a commercially available green manure (€1.00 on Amazon) for potted plants or use compost from the garden.
Privet tolerates cutting very well. You can safely cut it into any shape you want and also care for it as a bonsai.
To stimulate growth, you should cut younger bushes more often so that they become denser and do not become bare inside.
Overwintering privet properly in a bucket
Most privet species are hardy and tolerate frost quite well. However, if privet is grown in a bucket, there is a risk that it will not survive the winter.
The reason for this is either that the pot is too small or that the winter sun is too strong at the location of the pot. The warmth of the sun causes the leaves to evaporate a lot of moisture, which the privet cannot replace when the ground is frozen. So the bush doesn't freeze, but dries up.
Place the pot in a place where it is bright but not directly sunny. If this is not possible, shade the privet with winter protection mats. Alternatively, put branches of conifers in the pot in such a way that the leaves of the privet are protected. Water it on frost-free days!
Tip
The Chinese privet is not hardy. It must always be overwintered in a frost-free place.
