Cherry laurel bush

Planting Cherry Laurel: Instructions And Expert Tips

The cherry laurel can be found in many gardens. Here you can find out what you need to bear in mind when planting cherry laurels. The cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae). Compared to the related fruit species such as apple and cherry, the evergreen plant is quite undemanding and quickly forms dense woody plants due to its enormous vigor.

Because of these characteristics, the cherry laurel with its large leaves and delicate flowers is a popular hedge plant. But it is also a real eye-catcher as a specimen plant or cut into geometric shapes in a tub.

Properly planted, it quickly forms high and opaque boundaries to neighbors, growing a good 15″ a year. What you should consider when planting the cherry laurel in your garden, we have summarized for you below.

The Ideal Location For Cherry Laurel

Cherry laurels are popular hedge plants because of their undemanding nature, especially when it comes to location. You are not limited in the choice of location when growing your hedge, because the cherry laurel thrives in sunny, semi-shady, and shady places. Even with sandy or loamy soils, the hedge plant has no problem.

Only the chosen place should offer enough space and be free of waterlogging, after all, a full-grown cherry laurel likes to grow once three meters high and wide. If you have less space in the garden, you can use narrow varieties such as ‘Caucasica’.

In sunny locations, you should also provide adequate protection from the sharp winter wind. Otherwise, you quickly run the risk of losing your cherry laurel due to bare frost. Because of its competitive root system, you can plant your cherry laurel between trees without any problems. These deep-rooted plants will prevail in nutrient and water supply even against plants that are rather difficult to associate with.Caucasica cherry laurel-with-white-flower

Instruction: 11 Steps Plant Cherry Laurel

Once you have decided where you want the shrub to grow, simply follow these steps for planting:

  1. Planting distance: 31 – 39 inches
  2. Loosen the soil widely
  3. Dig planting holes: For container plants, they must be much larger than the planting container; for balled plants, the roots must have spread out space; water the roots in a water bath for about half an hour beforehand
  4. Layout a drainage layer of sand, gravel, or shards of clay at the bottom
  5. Mix excavated topsoil with compost, manure, or horn shavings
  6. Mix sand into the topsoil if it is too heavy / compacted (due to high clay content)
  7. Place cherry laurel vertically in the planting hole
  8. Place root ball so that it sits as deep as in the container
  9. Water well
  10. Mulch with lawn clippings, bark mulch, or wood chips
  11. Water during the growing season, as soon as the soil dries out on the surface.

Cherry Laurel Too Close Planted

The drainage layer counteracts the formation of waterlogging. The drier the substrate, the better the cherry laurel tolerates frost later. You are welcome to plant the plants more densely together. Depending on the variety and size of the plants at the time of planting, up to four plants per meter are quite acceptable. This way, your hedge will close after only two years. However, problems can arise later when the plants compete for space with each other.

You should also keep enough distance from adjacent buildings or fences. Also keep in mind that you will have to prune the cherry laurels later, and from all sides. Therefore, keep at least half the diameter specified for the variety plus a half-meter distance so that your hedge remains easily accessible to you later.

Note: Because cherry laurels grow very densely, they are not a good windbreak. The wind is not slowed down but only swirled. Thus, there is a decent draft behind the hedge.

When Is The Best Time To Plant Cherry Laurel?

The best time for planting cherry laurel is in autumn, between the end of August and the beginning of September. This is when shoot growth has stopped and the plant can put all of its energy into the roots, allowing your cherry laurel to grow quickly. For balled plants, fall planting is mandatory after purchase. Container plants can be planted in the ground throughout the growing season if necessary. However, you should limit this to the spring between late March and early May. The sunlight in the summer can cause enormous problems for the young plants if you do not reach for the watering can often enough.Young cherry laurel

In any case, avoid wet, snowy, or frozen soil. Even in the spring, do not plant when the sun is too strong, as the risk of sunburn is particularly high for the stressed plants. Therefore, it is best to choose a slightly cloudy day for planting.

To ensure that your plant also thrives healthily, we have compiled all the relevant points for the proper care of cherry laurels here and useful tips for care and planting the cherry laurel here for you.

Cherry Laurel Planting

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