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Unsure when to "stop" my cherry Laurels.

young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
in Plants

In early July I got 20 cherry laurels in small pots. I have grown them on in larger pots. Currently in 3Lt and basically ready to go in the ground. The average height of them is 2 feet tall. I want them at 5ft  eventually.

My questions are:
1.  Do I need to cut the tops off now, so that they bush out as they grow taller?

2. Leave them alone as they will bush out regardless?

3. If cut now at the current height, they will bush out but take much longer to reach the desired height of 5ft?

If I do nothing, my concern is that although they will reach the desired  height, but with very little foliage at the bottom end?

What shall I do?

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I'd wait until you plant them, then cut them back by a third to half.  Having fewer leaves will help them to establish roots in the ground more easily (as the roots won't have to supply so many leaves) and the cutting back will promote bushier growth, as you say.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
    Ok thanks. 
  • andrealeepowellandrealeepowell Posts: 16
    I thought you might like to see my cherry laurels and their progress over the last couple years. I will try and put photos on.... So it started in Feb 2018 with these little bare root sticks... 
  • andrealeepowellandrealeepowell Posts: 16
    feb 2018
  • andrealeepowellandrealeepowell Posts: 16
    Now we are in September 2020...so roughly 2.5 years on and look at the laurels now.... 
  • andrealeepowellandrealeepowell Posts: 16
    Regularly cutting the tops during the growing season helped them to bush out. Hope this helps you. 
  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
    Thanks for sharing your photos etc

    When I saw the first photo it seemed the gaps between each plant were a bit too much. 2.5 years later they appear to have filled the gaps.

    When I got mine I read that 3 Laurals were needed to each meter. I've not put mine in yet, but I'd like to get the gaps right-whatever that is? I don't want to be moving them later.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    In the right conditions, they grow massive. Easily a metre in each direction, and the sky is literally the limit in height.
    For hedging, it's often recommended to put more to the metre. They won't all make it, so it's belt and braces.
    When used as hedging, they're getting trimmed regularly, so they rarely get allowed the kind of space a single specimen would get, so they don't get quite so hefty so quickly. Sellers probably try and flog more too  ;)
    A healthy laurel in a 6 or 7 inch pot will easily make a very large shrub in a few years, or they do here anyway. They like water. Lots of it  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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