Laurel Pruning: Your Guide to a Lush and Bushy Garden

Shaping Up Your Laurel: A Guide to Bushier Growth

Laurel hedges and individual laurel bushes are a classic choice for gardens, prized for their glossy green leaves and ability to provide year-round structure and screening. However, to keep your laurel looking its best – dense, bushy, and vibrant – regular pruning is essential. This guide will walk you through the hows and whys of pruning your laurel, helping you achieve a lush, thriving plant.

Why Prune Your Laurel?

Pruning isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s crucial for the overall health and vitality of your laurel. Here’s why pruning is so beneficial:

• Encourages Bushier Growth: Pruning stimulates new growth, which results in a denser, more compact plant. This is particularly important if you’re aiming for a formal hedge or a neat, rounded shape.
• Improves Air Circulation: Removing overcrowded branches allows for better air circulation within the plant. This reduces the risk of fungal diseases that thrive in damp, stagnant conditions.
• Enhances Sunlight Penetration: Pruning opens up the canopy, allowing sunlight to reach all parts of the plant. This is essential for healthy foliage and even growth.
• Controls Size and Shape: Laurel can grow quite large if left unchecked. Pruning allows you to maintain your desired size and shape, whether you’re aiming for a formal hedge, a topiary specimen, or a more natural, informal look.
• Removes Dead or Diseased Wood: Pruning allows you to remove any dead, diseased, or damaged branches, preventing the spread of disease and improving the overall health of the plant.

When to Prune Your Laurel

The timing of your pruning efforts is crucial for the health and appearance of your laurel. Here’s a general guideline:

• Main Pruning: The best time for the main pruning of your laurel is in late spring or early summer (May-June), after the flush of new growth has hardened off. This allows the plant to recover and produce new growth throughout the growing season.
• Light Pruning/Trimming: Light trimming can be done at any time of year to remove stray shoots or maintain the desired shape. However, avoid heavy pruning in late summer or autumn, as this can stimulate new growth that may be vulnerable to frost damage.
• Avoid Pruning in Winter: While light pruning may be acceptable, avoid major pruning during the winter months, as the plant is dormant and less able to recover.

Tools of the Trade

Having the right tools will make the pruning process much easier and more effective. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Hand Pruners (Secateurs): Essential for cutting smaller branches and stems. Choose a pair with sharp, bypass blades for clean cuts.
• Loppers: These are long-handled pruners for cutting thicker branches that are too large for hand pruners. They provide extra leverage.
• Hedge Shears: Ideal for shaping hedges and trimming large areas. Choose a pair with sharp blades and comfortable handles.
• Pruning Saw: For removing larger branches that are beyond the reach of loppers. A curved pruning saw is often the easiest to use.
• Gloves: Protect your hands from thorns and sap.
• Safety Glasses: Protect your eyes from flying debris.
• Ladder (if necessary): For reaching the top of taller hedges or bushes.

Pruning Techniques: Step-by-Step

Now, let’s get down to the specifics of pruning your laurel to achieve a bushier, more attractive plant. The techniques will vary depending on whether you’re dealing with a hedge or an individual bush.

Pruning Laurel Hedges

1. Assess the Hedge: Before you start, take a good look at your hedge. Identify any areas that are overgrown, uneven, or have dead or diseased branches. This will help you plan your pruning strategy.
2. Shape the Hedge: When pruning a laurel hedge, the goal is usually to create a slightly tapered shape, wider at the base than at the top. This allows sunlight to reach all parts of the plant, promoting even growth. If you want a formal look, you can aim for a rectangular or other geometric shape.
3. Use Hedge Shears: Start by trimming the sides of the hedge, using long, even strokes with your hedge shears. Work from the bottom up, removing only the new growth of the current year.
4. Trim the Top: Once the sides are done, trim the top of the hedge. Again, aim for a slightly tapered shape. You can use a string line stretched between stakes to ensure a straight top. Remove any stray shoots or branches that extend beyond the desired shape.
5. Maintain the Shape: Regular pruning is key to maintaining the shape of your laurel hedge. Aim to prune at least once a year, ideally twice, during the growing season.

Pruning Individual Laurel Bushes

1. Thinning Out: The primary goal when pruning individual laurel bushes to encourage bushiness is thinning out the interior of the plant. This involves removing some of the older, thicker branches to allow more light and air to penetrate.
2. Remove Dead or Diseased Wood: Start by removing any dead, diseased, or damaged branches. Cut these back to healthy wood, or remove them entirely.
3. Identify Crossing Branches: Look for branches that are rubbing against each other, as this can damage the bark and make the plant more susceptible to disease. Remove one of the crossing branches.
4. Thin Out Crowded Areas: Remove some of the older branches from the center of the bush to open up the canopy and allow more light and air to circulate. Cut these branches back to their point of origin or to a side branch.
5. Shape the Bush: After thinning out the interior, you can shape the bush by trimming back the outer branches. Cut back to a bud or side branch to encourage new growth in the desired direction. Aim for a natural, rounded shape, or whatever shape is preferred.
6. Pinching for Extra Bushiness: You can also encourage bushier growth by pinching out the tips of the new shoots. This forces the plant to produce side shoots, resulting in a denser, more compact form. Do this during the growing season.

Common Laurel Pruning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Pruning at the Wrong Time: Avoid pruning in late summer or autumn, as this can stimulate new growth that is vulnerable to frost. Also, avoid heavy pruning in winter.
• Over-Pruning: Don’t remove too much foliage at once, as this can stress the plant. Aim to remove no more than one-third of the plant’s growth in any one pruning session.
• Using Dull Tools: Dull tools can tear the branches, leaving ragged cuts that are slow to heal and increase the risk of disease. Always use sharp tools and keep them clean.
• Ignoring the Interior: Focusing solely on the outer shape of the plant without thinning out the interior can lead to overcrowding and poor air circulation.
• Not Knowing the Natural Shape: Before you start pruning, observe your laurel. Try to prune in a way that works with the plant’s natural growth habit, rather than against it.

Post-Pruning Care

After pruning, it’s important to give your laurel a little extra care to help it recover and thrive:

• Watering: Water the plant thoroughly after pruning, especially during dry periods. This will help it recover from the stress of pruning and promote new growth.
• Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer in the spring to give the plant a boost. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for application rates.
• Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around the base of the plant to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature.
• Monitor for Problems: Keep an eye out for any signs of disease or pests, such as leaf spots, yellowing leaves, or insect infestations. Treat any problems promptly.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Pruning Techniques

For more experienced gardeners, there are a few advanced pruning techniques that can be used to achieve even more spectacular results:

• Rejuvenation Pruning: If your laurel has become overgrown and leggy, you can rejuvenate it by cutting it back severely. This involves removing a large portion of the plant, often by cutting it back close to the ground. This can be a drastic measure, so it’s best to do it in early spring and ensure the plant is healthy before attempting it. Be prepared for a slower recovery.
• Coppicing: Coppicing is a technique where the entire plant is cut back to the ground, encouraging vigorous new growth from the base. This is rarely necessary for laurel, but can be used if a plant has become severely damaged or diseased.
• Topiary: If you have a flair for artistry, laurel is an excellent choice for topiary. With careful pruning and shaping, you can create a wide variety of artistic forms, such as balls, cones, or even more elaborate shapes.

Conclusion

Pruning your laurel is a rewarding task that will ensure your plants remain healthy, attractive, and a beautiful feature in your garden. By following the guidelines in this article, you can confidently prune your laurel to create a lush, bushy plant that you can enjoy for years to come. Remember to assess your plant, use the right tools, prune at the correct time, and provide aftercare for the best results. Happy gardening!