Garden Care Guide

Cotoneaster integerrimus Care

Cotoneaster integerrimus

A deciduous, very hardy shrub that is also native to Turkey. It likes full sun and well-drained, chalky soil; it is drought tolerant and produces red fruit in autumn that birds love.

Hardy · -25 °C / -13 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Watering: Not required; winter precipitation is sufficient.
  • Plant protection: If needed, apply dormant oil against overwintering scale insects.
  • General care: Red berries on branches are a food source for birds throughout the winter.
February
  • Watering: Not needed; rainfall is sufficient.
  • Pruning: Late month, before new growth starts, is the best time for the main pruning. Remove only dry, diseased, or misshapen branches.
  • General care: Propagation by semi-hardwood cuttings can be tried.
  • Pests & diseases: Carry out a general condition check.
March
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: At the start of the month, apply a slow-release balanced NPK (e.g., 10-10-10) fertilizer or compost (do not overapply).
  • Pruning: Prune just before the shoots break. Because flowers form on this year's new shoots, hard pruning increases flowering. Before growth starts, dead and crossing branches are removed. Light shaping can be applied. For hedge forms, regular trimming is done.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: Be alert for fire blight. Immediately cut out shoots that suddenly darken and look scorched, and disinfect your pruning tools.
April
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: Not needed. Flowering begins.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
May
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: After flowering ends, it can be pruned lightly to shape the plant.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Flowering begins. Drainage is critical for this plant. In heavy, water-retaining soil, plant on a mound or bed raised 20-30 cm; the root collar should remain above the surrounding soil level.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves. Check the fresh shoot tips for aphids (small clusters of green or black insects). If there are few, you can knock them off with a strong spray of water.
June
  • Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
  • Pruning: The pruning period has passed.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves. Check the fresh shoot tips for aphids (small clusters of green or black insects). If there are few, you can knock them off with a strong spray of water.
July
  • Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. Water the area around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
  • Plant protection: Continue checking for spider mites.
  • General care: The fruits continue to grow.
August
  • Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. Water the area around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
  • General care: The fruits begin to turn from green to bright red.
September
  • Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: The bright red fruits are at their most showy. This is the best time of the year to plant new saplings.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves.
October
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
November
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Make sure water does not pool in the root zone during winter rains; for this plant, drainage is more critical than irrigation. Collect fallen leaves; many disease agents and pests overwinter under them.
December
  • General care: The plant is dormant. Its fruit provides food for birds through the winter.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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