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How to Care for Scottish Broom
How to Care for Scottish Broom. Scottish broom, also called Scotch broom, is a perennial shrub with brightly colored flowers. It grows up to 13 feet tall and is easily recognized by its deep green, woody stems and tiny leaves. Native to Europe, many areas of the United States and Canada now consider Scottish broom to be an invasive species and a...
Scottish broom, also called Scotch broom, is a perennial shrub with brightly colored flowers. It grows up to 13 feet tall and is easily recognized by its deep green, woody stems and tiny leaves. Native to Europe, many areas of the United States and Canada now consider Scottish broom to be an invasive species and a noxious weed. Broom reseeds itself prolifically through large seed pods that open with almost explosive force. This makes it difficult to eradicate once it is established in an area. If kept in check, however, it makes a stunning and colorful focal point in the landscape.
Things You'll Need
Shovel
Loam
6-4-4 fertilizer
Watering can or hose
Pruning shears
Planting
Locate a well-drained place in your garden that gets full sun.
Work a small bag of loam and a 6-4-4 fertilizer into the soil.
Dig a hole large enough to accommodate your broom shrub.
Place the broom in the hole and fill the area around the roots and crown with soil. Mound the soil up in a small hill around the crown to allow for the soil settling.
Water the plant well, saturating the soil.
Maintaining Your Broom
Water your Scottish broom sparingly. A good rule of thumb is to water when the soil is just dry.
Add a 6-4-4 fertilizer to keep the soil's pH between 5.5 and 7.
Prune the plant back after it flowers, usually in late spring to early summer.
Remove seed pods before they mature to prevent spread and naturalization into the surrounding landscape.
Pull any unwanted seedlings as soon as they sprout as mature plants are difficult to eradicate.
Tips & Warnings
If you decide to get rid of your Scotch broom, carefully remove any seed pods on the plant. Cut the plant down to a few inches tall and dig the entire plant up, being sure to remove the entire crown.
Find out if Scotch broom is considered an invasive species in your area and whether it is legal to plant. Never plant a known invasive species in areas where it is considered a threat to native species.
