If the days get shorter, it will be too cold on the terrace for your eucalyptus, the sun worshiper from Australia. With the exception of the Eucalyptus gunii variety, none of the deciduous trees are hardy. For successful wintering, not only is a change of location necessary, it is also important to get the tree used to the changed conditions with appropriate pruning. Read here how to cut your eucalyptus before and after winter rest.
How do I prune my eucalyptus in winter?
Before wintering, you should shorten the shoot tips of your eucalyptus. During the winter months, avoid pruning, but remove brown and dry leaves. In spring, before releasing it outdoors, cut the tree back heavily.
Give the eucalyptus a rest period
Plants usually largely stop growing in the cold season. Due to the lack of light, you can no longer carry out photosynthesis as intensively, which is why the necessary sugar, an important source of energy, is missing. The eucalyptus, which normally grows very rapidly, still needs a lot of sunlight for this very reason. You should reduce fertilization in winter. In order not to have to put too much effort into supplying the tips of the shoots, shortening the outermost branch ends will help the tree greatly.
Cutting instructions for winter storage
- Before you move the eucalyptus to its new location, shorten the shoot tips.
- Do not prune during wintering.
- You should only pick brown and dry leaves.
- Before putting the eucalyptus back outdoors, cut the tree back heavily.
Don't be afraid of mistakes
Before the eucalyptus moves to its usual location in the garden, you should wait until there is no longer any danger of night frosts. The deadline in this regard is the end of the Ice Saints in mid-May. Then you're on the safe side. You don't have to worry as much about cutting back the tree prematurely. The eucalyptus forms new shoots very quickly and returns to its old appearance after a short time. Any cutting errors will therefore quickly disappear. On the contrary, vigorous pruning actually promotes the formation of new branches.