Wig Bush – Care, Cutting & Propagation

Various aspects should be considered when choosing the optimal location. It is important to remember that there are differences between red-leaved and green-leaved varieties; wig bushes that shed red leaves prefer a location in full sun. Too much shade leads to insufficient flower formation, the formation of very small leaves and only a few fruit clusters in these varieties. Intensive solar radiation is also necessary for the development of the strong color. On the other hand, varieties that shed green foliage are not necessarily bound to a location in full sun; a warm, shady place is sufficient for such bushes. Overall, the wig bush prefers a warm, dry location. The plant can withstand temperatures down to -20 ° C but feels particularly comfortable in a moderate climate. The plant also tolerates urban climates well. When cultivating the wig bush, the substrate should be carefully selected:

• The soil should be a moderately moist substrate.
• The earth must be well drained.
• Conventional garden soil is usually a good choice.
• Wig bushes thrive particularly well on dry, chalky soils.
• The plant can even be cultivated on stony soils, as long as they contain a lot of lime.
• If the substrate is very loamy, it can be mixed with fine gravel and sand.
• Soil with a moderate concentration of nutrients is completely sufficient for the growth of the wig bush.

When choosing the location, it should be taken into account that the wig bush needs a lot of space so that it can unfold optimally. This is due to its broad, bushy growth. It should therefore be ensured that other shrubs do not restrict the plant. The plant works well in isolation and goes well with ornamental shrubs such as woolly snowball, laburnum and kolkwitzia. The shrub looks particularly beautiful against a dark backdrop of conifers. But here, too, care must be taken to ensure that the plant can develop optimally.

Watering, fertilizing and wintering. 

The wig bush is one of the shallow roots, which is why regular watering is necessary, especially during the summer months. However, it is essential to ensure that the soil dries well before the next moistening. Waterlogging can quickly lead to root rot. In addition, if the soil is too moist, flower growth will be sparse. The wig bush is also watered in winter; however, irrigation is very sparing here. You just have to make sure that the soil never dries out completely. Targeted fertilization is also possible:

• After the leaves have unfolded to the beginning of flowering, fertilization can be carried out every two weeks.
• A simple liquid fertilizer has proven itself for this purpose.
• Alternatively, fertilizer cones can also be used.
• After flowering until mid-September, it is enough to fertilize once a month.
• The wig bush also feels particularly comfortable when it is also mulched. Mulching can also replace the fertilizing process.

The shrub is partially hardy; this means that young plants that have been newly planted can be damaged by permanent frost. Older specimens, on the other hand, are hardy and tolerate temperatures down to -20 ° C.

The right cut

Basically, the wig bush does not have to be cut. However, a specific cut at the right time is suitable to remove old shoots. A taper cut is also possible. Conventional thinning can be done at any time of the year. The dried twigs are cut back so much that the healthy wood is almost reached. New shoots can then also be cut off. In order to make the shrub thicker and more expansive, it has proven useful to carry out targeted pruning in autumn. This not only removes the dried-up shoots, but also branches that protrude too much. In addition to being partially thinned out, the wig bush can also tolerate radical cuts; here the branches are cut to hand-high above the ground. Larger sheets are obtained as a result of such a cut. If you want to cut back your wig bush radically, you should know that the flower will then fail. While thinning is possible at any time of the year, a radical cut should be limited to early spring; During this time, the trees look unnaturally cut. The rule of thumb for the radical cut is as short as possible. Gloves should be worn when cutting the wig bush; Both the wood and the leaves contain different dyes that can easily rub off. – In earlier times the parts of the plant were also used to dye wool. While thinning is possible at any time of the year, a radical cut should be limited to early spring; During this time, the trees look unnaturally cut. The rule of thumb for the radical cut is as short as possible. Gloves should be worn when cutting the wig bush; Both the wood and the leaves contain different dyes that can easily rub off. – In earlier times the parts of the plant were also used to dye wool. While thinning is possible at any time of the year, a radical cut should be limited to early spring; During this time, the trees look unnaturally cut. The rule of thumb for the radical cut is as short as possible. Gloves should be worn when cutting the wig bush; Both the wood and the leaves contain different dyes that can easily rub off. – In earlier times the parts of the plant were also used to dye wool. Gloves should be worn when cutting the wig bush; Both the wood and the leaves contain different dyes that can easily rub off. – In earlier times the parts of the plant were also used to dye wool. Gloves should be worn when cutting the wig bush; Both the wood and the leaves contain different dyes that can easily rub off. – In earlier times the parts of the plant were also used to dye wool.

Propagation and cultivation of the wig bush

The propagation and cultivation of the wig bush can be done in different ways. Sowing is particularly popular; For this purpose, the seeds are removed from the bush in the period from the end of August to the beginning of September – in the green state. The seeds are then germinated in the following spring. Propagation by sowing can sometimes be problematic; then the seeds should be sown in the cold box between September and October – immediately after ripening.
Often, however, the shrub is propagated with the help of lowerers:

• Annual or biennial shoots are used for this.
• The shoots are bent down in early spring and anchored below the surface of the ground so that the tip of the shoot protrudes about 30 to 40 cm from the ground.
• The bending point is then incised with a knife in the direction of the bending tip.
• The bent part of the drive is then sunk into a 10 to 20 cm deep hole and fixed there with a hook.
• The hole is filled with soil mixed with compost and sand.
• The tip of the shoot is best tied up with a stick.
• Care must be taken to ensure adequate irrigation; the earth must always be moist.
• Only when the rooting has been successful are the sinkers cut off and transplanted in autumn.

The propagation of the wig bush is basically also possible with the help of cuttings. However, this method turns out to be very difficult and rarely succeeds. The inadequate rooting, which is often observed when propagating via cuttings, is responsible for the poor cultivation.

Pests and diseases – what to look out for

The wig bush can be affected by Verticillium wilt. This is a clinical picture that manifests itself in withered leaves and falling branches, although sufficient watering is used. To check whether the plant is infected with this disease, the water pipes should be examined for their color. To do this, a piece of bark is scraped off; if there is a brown discoloration, in most cases the clinical picture is present. Verticillium wilt is caused by various harmful fungi, for example Verticillium dahliae or Verticillium albo-atrum, which are located in the soil and lead to clogging of the ducts. If the shrub is infested, the only thing that helps is usually to destroy the entire shrub, including the surrounding soil. Optimal culture conditions have proven themselves as a preventive measure. In addition, the roots of the shrub should not be damaged. In the case of varieties that shed red leaves, powdery mildew can also occur. Then different measures to control the pest have proven themselves:

• An effective home remedy for powdery mildew is a mixture of one part fresh milk and nine parts water, which is sprayed onto the plant three times a week.
• If only a few parts of the plant are affected, it is usually worth pruning.
• Sulfur-based fungicides can also help; however, these should be used with caution.
• A broth made from matured compost and water is also effective at driving away the pests.
• To make life difficult for powdery mildew, the plants should be watered early in the morning.

In addition to direct control measures, optimal crop rotation can also be used to curb powdery mildew. No other plants belonging to the same genus should be planted there for the next four years. Only then can the fungus completely regress. It also helps to loosen up the soil before planting. The substrate should also be enriched with humus. The following applies: Heavy and often too moist soils favor the growth of powdery mildew. The pest can also be prevented by using strong and robust plants.

Toxicity of the wig bush

The wig bush is generally considered to be poisonous; The plant gets its toxicity from its relationship to the vinegar tree and poison ivy. The toxicity of the wig bush is limited to skin-irritating properties that are caused by different ingredients. These are, for example, flavones – such as quercetin – which are common plant pigments, but do not have a very pronounced toxicity. In addition, apparently not all species are contaminated with the contact poison. In particular, the red shrubs that are offered in specialist shops contain very little or no poison at all. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised when cutting the bush: it cannot be ruled out that the bush contains the contact poison. Wearing gloves has also proven itself to prevent the plant from staining on the skin. If contact poisons are contained in the wig bush, especially sensitive people react with skin irritations. These can manifest themselves, for example, in rashes and severe irritation of the skin. Then soothing ointments from the pharmacy help to reduce the redness.

Conclusion
The wig bush is suitable for the layman as well as for the advanced hobby gardener, since the robust plant requires little care. You should only have some experience in gardening when it comes to propagation. But once the wig bush has been cultivated, all plant lovers can enjoy the colorful and imposing bush for a long time.