Chasteberry offers many arguments for its cultivation. The monks of the Middle Ages already knew about its healing gifts for us humans. This is reflected in the naming. Of course, you can only place the shrub in the garden for its magical inflorescences.
How do you grow chasteberry correctly?
Chasteberry can be grown by purchasing a young plant or propagating it by seeds or cuttings. The ideal location is warm, sheltered from the wind, sunny and has well-drained, alkaline soil. Care includes watering, fertilizing and cutting, although potted plants require more attention.
Find a plant
You can buy a young plant (€9.00 on Amazon) in a stationary garden store or in an online shop. Alternatively, you can propagate them yourself by obtaining and sowing seeds, or have another chaste tree friend take a cutting. This allows the successful cultivation of this plant to begin. Incidentally, there are different varieties of monk's pepper that bloom white, violet, blue, red or pink.
Choose location carefully
Having your own garden is not a mandatory requirement if you want this plant. The hardy shrub is also satisfied with a very large container. This means that it can also find a suitable home on a balcony.
The shrub needs enough space at its location because it can grow up to 3 m high and wide. Although it remains smaller in the pot, it can be described as a giant compared to other balcony plants. These are the other characteristics of its ideal location:
- warm
- sheltered from the wind
- sunny
- permeable soil
- alkaline soil
Tailored care
Caring for this shrub primarily consists of fertilizing, watering and cutting. Since chasteberry tolerates drought well, you only need to water it if it hasn't rained for a long time. In spring the bush is cut back to up to 20 cm. Then fertilize generously with ripe compost.
Potted plants need more attention
Potted plants need regular attention. Watering is carried out depending on the weather and fertilizing every two weeks during the growing season. Before winter, you need to look for a frost-free wintering place that can be dark. In spring, repotting is recommended if necessary, always with a drainage layer.
Admire and harvest
If you plant chasteberry for its beauty, you can admire its flower spikes every year from July to September. The soft parts of the plant also have a pepper-like taste, which is welcome when seasoning dishes.
Leaves, flowers and the red-black fruits have healing effects. If you are interested in this area of use, you should not experiment, but rather inform yourself in detail about the areas of application and dosage.
