When it comes to pruning, boxwood is one of the most docile shrubs. Even though it develops slowly, the culture takes trimming well. Knowing when to trim boxwood is important for maintaining a tidy appearance of plants and a certain shape of the crown.
In general, when he should be pruned doesn’t change from how it would be done for other garden plants. The objectives that are accomplished through pruning seldom differ from one another. The trimming of both young and elderly plants has some subtle differences.
You must trim the boxwood correctly and at the appropriate time if you want it to have a thick crown form.
Place and soil
On lime-rich clay soils, boxwood thrives. Sandalwood soil should be treated with mature compost. The soil should be wet, water-permeable, and free of standing water. Boxwood doesn’t clamor for the light. He accepts shade nicely. The plant has more difficulty growing in a hot, sunny location, such as next to a wall that faces south. The boxwood in this instance soon wilts the leaves.
Proper fertilization and Fertilization
Although boxwood thrives in dry conditions, it requires daily watering if it is grown in a tub or pot. Give it a periodic shower during a protracted heat wave to wipe off any dust that may have accumulated on the leaves. Make sure the root ball doesn’t dry out throughout the winter as well. Mid-April to early August are critical times for fertilizing moss plants. For boxwood, specialized liquid fertilizer works best. Once a week, it is administered by putting it in the water used for watering. Reddish, bronze-tinted leaves are a frequent indicator of nitrogen deficiency in boxwood.
The ideal boxwood species for various uses
The numerous types of boxwood have varying growth rates, leaf shapes, and colors, therefore they are not all the same. The evergreen boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) or vigorous variants like “Rotundifolia” and “Handsworthiensis” are used for taller hedges, while slow-growing forms like “Suffruticosa” or the hardy “Blauer Heinz” are appropriate for low borders.
Similar to how boxwood kinds are chosen for foliage, little balls are best from ‘Suffruticosa’ or ‘Green Gem’ variations, whilst larger balls originate from the taller variants. Due of their sensitivity to frost, boxwood types like “Elegantissima” should only be planted in locations that are well-protected.
What best time of year should boxwood be pruned?
The optimum time to trim your boxwood is twice a year, if not a bit more frequently. For instance, it won’t be resilient enough to resist a blanket of snow in winter if you just trim it once a year. In late May, you may cut your boxwood for the first time. On the boxwood, make sure the longest branches with fresh, light-green leaves have a minimum height of 2 inches (5 cm). To provide the boxwood enough time to recuperate before the onset of winter, a second pruning might be planned for September.
When the temperature is really hot, avoid pruning boxwood because plants lose water through “wounds” at the end of the stems and the outermost leaves become brown. If you pruned your boxwood and when it gets hot and sunny, make sure to water it frequently.
Preparation and tools
Make sure all of your instruments are clean and sharpened before you start pruning. Branch and leaf damage will be reduced as a result. The finest equipment for this task are grass shears because they are made expressly for boxwood pruning. You may easily cut the boxwood into the proper form with grass shears since they are smaller and easier to handle than shrub shears. Small trimming tasks are perfect for hand-held grass shears.
Electric lawn shears are the best option if you want to simplify a difficult task or need to complete a larger one. Trimming a full-sized rectangular boxwood more quickly and easily with a shrub shear.
Hand-held grass shears are perfect for little trimming jobs. The ideal alternative if you want to simplify a challenging work or need to finish a larger task is electric lawn shears. With shrub shears, it is quicker and simpler to trim a full-sized rectangular boxwood.
Garden equipment should always be cleaned and sanitized before to use, according to instructions for trimming boxwood and other types of plants. Any alcohol-containing substance, such as wet wipes or medicinal solutions, may be utilized for this purpose. Use a mild manganese or iron sulfate composition as well (5%–10%).
In addition to grass shears and shrub shears, a yard pruning saw comes in extremely helpful when it comes to clipping heavy branches before trimming a hedge. If you use grass shears to trim thick branches or if they come into touch with sand, they may become dull.
Shaping a boxwood’s crown
You must choose the form you want to give the boxwood before you begin pruning. Giving your boxwood the desired form by trimming is a pretty simple process. The hedge can be trimmed so that it is straight on the sides and rounded out at the top. Boxwood may be pruned to take on many shapes, such as the familiar ball form, a more angular crown shape, or even a bolder and odd composition.
Step 1: Begin pruning the hedge’s sides and front and rear. To allow the sun to pass through the entire hedge, be sure to make the top of the hedge a bit narrower. If the bottom portion is the same width as the top portion or even broader, it will become brown.
Step 2: Start trimming the top after finishing the sides. Run a length of thread between two posts to gauge the desired hedge height first. The rope may then be cut along to create a straight line using a hedge trimmer or grass shears.
Cut the heavier branches if you wish to dramatically lower the height of the hedge. Use a lawn trimming saw in this situation to assist you in maintaining the sharpness of the grass shears’ or hedge trimmer’s blades.
Step 3: Pile up the branches and leaves that have been cut and put them in the garden waste trash container.
Step 4: Apply fertilizer after finishing the hedge pruning to provide the best possible growth. Manure pellets from chickens or cattle work best for boxwood. Organic fertilizer is good for boxwood, so don’t scrimp on the manure.
Forming a ball out of the crown
It is preferable to use lawn shears to mold the boxwood crown into a ball. Grass shears without cords make this task simple.
Step 1: Begin cutting the ball at the top. The height of the ball will be decided at this point.
Step 2: Hold the grass shears with the top side facing down while standing above the ball. This makes trimming around a curved surface simpler.
Step 3. Adhere to the form you choose to trim. To better understand the shape and precisely trim the plant, move around the ball while you are working.
How to trim boxwood growing at home
There are minor variations, but the trimming guidelines in this situation are much the same:
- Since it’s simple to create ideal circumstances at home, the technique may be done in any weather.
- It’s crucial to water and feed the shrub after trimming.
- Avoid exposure to direct sunlight, especially on newly cut skin.
- At the beginning of the season, you should quickly pinch off sprouts on small, immature bushes since their growth will ruin the form.
It won’t be feasible to create a complicated design or even a hedge because little boxwoods often grow at home. As a result, traditional variations in the shape of a ball, cone, or pyramid are employed.
Caring for boxwood after pruning
After pruning: in the next two to three weeks.
- Increase the shrub’s watering. On the other hand, if it rains, there is no need to add extra water.
- Time to the shrub with a compound mineral fertilizer (dosage according to the instructions). To promote quick growth in the spring, nitrogen fertilizer can be applied.
- To stop the spread of infection, cuts should ideally be treated with an alcohol solution or coated with ash or charcoal. Some things can also be used for this.
- After fall trimming, prepare shorn boxwood for the winter. The shrub is covered with burlap or another material, and a mulch made of peat and spruce branches is applied to achieve this. Otherwise, when exposed to winter sun, the shoots will begin to grow once more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Can I prune my boxwood whenever I want?
Despite the fact that it may be done any time of year, particular times are preferred for plant health.
How much can you prune the boxwoods back?
If they are not more than one-third their height, larger specimens can safely have 2 to 3 feet of height removed at a once; if they are, make cuttings over many seasons.
How long does it take to grow in a year?
The boxwood grows 5 to 15 cm annually on average.
Conclusion
Boxwood pruning is simpler than it might initially appear. All of the shoots will start to develop in the right directions if you repeat the process frequently, making it easier to work with them afterwards. Only moderately sharp instruments and simple abilities are needed for the job. Most anyone, even inexperienced gardeners, will be able to do this chore.
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