Günsel demonstrates unbridled naturalness beyond the strict regulations of formal garden design. Wherever it is necessary to green areas with little light or to cultivate a well-kept garden despite limited time, the busy perennial is there. The following answers to frequently asked questions show what potential lies in the pretty mint family.
What characterizes the Günsel plant?
Günsel is an undemanding forest and meadow perennial that is well suited to shady locations and requires little care. The flowers provide nectar for bees, bumblebees and butterflies, while the wintergreen foliage serves as natural root protection.
Planting Guensel correctly
The undemanding forest and meadow perennial demonstrates its frugality as soon as it is planted. Choose a spot in a light to shady location in slightly moist, loose garden soil that offers space for 3-5 specimens at a distance of 20-25 cm. There you prepare the soil until it is finely crumbly and incorporate sifted compost or bark humus. Only place the potted root balls deep enough into the soil to maintain the previous planting depth. After a good sip of water has been administered, a mulch layer of leaves, grass clippings or bark mulch promotes rapid rooting.
Care tips
The careful choice of location at Günsel sets the course for vital growth without cumbersome maintenance costs. Watering in dry conditions and organic starter fertilization in spring meet all water and nutrient balance requirements. So that the wild perennial does not waste energy on the growth of wildflowers, cut off the withered inflorescences in good time. Only cut off the wintergreen leaves close to the ground shortly before the new shoots appear in early spring. The hardy perennial makes its way through the cold season on its own. Only in the pot should the root ball be protected from frost damage by a cover made of bubble wrap.read more
Which location is suitable?
Günsel reaches its optimum in bright to partially shaded locations. Plain-green species and varieties accept a shady location as long as there is no Egyptian darkness dominating there. The sunnier the bed, the moister the soil should be so that the herbaceous plant does not come under drought stress. In addition, a deep, humus-rich and nutritious soil is beneficial for flower abundance and vitality.
The correct planting distance
If you want Günsel to act as a carpet-forming ground cover, we recommend a planting distance of 20 to 25 cm. In this arrangement, a dense, compact cushion of flowers and leaves develops within a short time, which reliably suppresses any weeds. If a tightly upright variety acts as an eye-catching solitaire or sets pretty accents in a small group, a planting distance of 30 cm has proven to be useful in practice.
What soil does the plant need?
Looking at the essential requirements for the floor, there are no surprising aspects. Günsel thrives wonderfully in any normal garden soil, such as that found in classic perennial beds. The crumb should be humus, nutrient-rich and fresh and moist, because the wild perennial does not like to be confronted with sandy dryness.
When is flowering time?
The blue, purple and white labiate flowers of Creeping Günsel usher in spring in April and May. Much to the delight of bees, bumblebees and butterflies, who are crazy about the sweet contents of the flowers. Various upright species and varieties, such as Geneva Günsel or Pyramid Günsel, bloom from June to August. A creative combination of plants with different flowering times guarantees cheerful splashes of color from spring until well into summer.read more
Cut Guensel correctly
Cut off spent stems as soon as possible so that the perennial does not invest its energy in producing seeds. With its foothills it ensures widespread expansion anyway. The wintergreen foliage, on the other hand, should remain on the plant until early spring as a decorative eye-catcher on gray days and natural protection of the root ball from frost and snow. If you cultivate a Günsel species with colorful foliage, consistently cut off vines with plain-colored leaves. Otherwise, sooner or later the distinctive leaf color will be lost.
Pouring Guensel
The light and temperature conditions determine the water requirement. Water Günsel in the bed and pot whenever the thumb test indicates dried substrate. In sunny locations with largely dry soil, this may be necessary every 1-2 days in summer, while in rainy seasons the watering can is not used at all.
Fertilize Guensel properly
Every Günsel happily accepts organic booster fertilization in spring. This can be a portion of compost with horn shavings, bark humus, guano granules or nettle manure. Avoid using nitrogen-rich complete fertilizer because this only stimulates leaf growth, which is at the expense of the abundance of flowers. Therefore, give worm tea (€16.00 on Amazon) or guano sticks as fertilizer in the pot and balcony box. Commercial liquid fertilizer should be diluted at least half with water.
Wintering
The robust character of Günsel is expressed not least in its complete winter hardiness. No special precautions are required to ensure that the wild perennial gets through the cold season he althy. The only exception are plants in pots or balcony boxes, as the root ball could freeze in bitter frost. A covering made of bubble wrap or jute prevents this shortcoming.
Propagate Guensel
The propagation of Günsel fits seamlessly into the uncomplicated cultivation. The simplest variant is achieved by dividing the root ball in spring or autumn. After you have lifted the plant out of the ground, divide the rhizome. As long as a section has at least 2 buds, it will transform into an adult plant. Plant the individual segments promptly after the soil in the new location has been improved with compost. In addition, the numerous runners act as vegetative material for offspring. Place root pieces with a length of 10-15 cm in the humus-rich soil in a partially shaded location, where they will root quickly. Constant soil moisture is crucial.
Is Guensel poisonous?
The popular name Gurgelkraut signals that Günsel is a healing rather than a poisonous plant. In fact, the wild perennial contains valuable ingredients that give it a wound-healing, astringent effect. The leaves, prepared as a tea, can relieve a painful sore throat. The pharmaceutical industry uses Günsel to produce healing ointments for abrasions and other skin injuries.
Beautiful varieties
- Atropurpurea: Popular variety with blue-violet spring flowers, reddish-brown, wintergreen leaves; Growth height 10-15 cm
- Frosted Jade: Decorative, upright flower with blue flowers over white-variegated foliage; Growth height 30-40 cm without runners
- Black Scallop: Magnificent, creeping variety whose dark red, glossy leaves catch the eye; Growth height 10-15 cm
- Alba: The white-flowering variety harmonizes wonderfully with Black Scallop as a colorful ground cover; Growth height 10-15 cm
- Toffee Chip: Small-growing Günsel, whose cream-colored leaves shine even in shady locations; Growth height 5-10 cm
- Geneva Günsel: Powerful, tightly upright species that impresses with rich blue flowers and three-lobed leaves; Growth height up to 60 cm
