Editing techniques and more with illustration

Various types of cuts - table with all options and dates

In the creative garden art Boxwood has played a key role since the Middle Ages. Legendary gardens, such as the Palace Gardens of Versailles, would be lacking in an atmospheric accent without Buchs. The evergreen all-rounders are still useful today as decorative ones Border, creative garden figure or majestic Privacy hedge. The following table includes all of them Types of cuts with information on the best dates:

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The Federal Nature Conservation Act has priority at the time of cutting

Plant pruning in two stages for dense foliage

Purchase boxwood as an inexpensive one Root product or hardly any branched pot products, we recommend two plant prunings. The uncomplicated way of cutting aims to ensure that evergreen box bushes thrive in densely bushy roots from day one. The positive effect has the same effect on a solitary shrub and a hedge. If a box tree finds its way into your garden as a richly branched container plant, this type of pruning can be removed from the maintenance program. This is how the plant pruning runs correctly:

• The best time for the first stage is after planting or in the following spring
• The best date for the second stage is March / April of the second year
• A sharp boxwood or one-handedSecateurs Disinfect beforehand with alcohol
• Cut all shoots back in half, as shown in the illustration below
• After a year in March / April the last year's growth cut in half

The plant pruning does it Growth law the Top funding used to motivate boxwood to branch densely at the base. By nature, the plant saps strive vehemently towards the tip buds to encourage growth towards sunlight. This strategy runs at the expense of the shrub base, which branches sparsely without pruning measures. By cutting off the top buds every 12 months, the nutritious sap pressure is distributed to the lower regions, causing increased growth.

After planting boxwood as a solitary or hedge, cut all shoots by half.

One year after planting, cut back all branches again to encourage dense, bushy growth from the roots.

Systematically build up box hedge - this is how it works

For most home gardeners, an uncut boxwood hedge would not be immediately recognizable as such. First one continuous cut care elicits a homogeneous contour of fine foliage from the evergreen shrubs. As already introduced with the plant pruning, the aim is a successive one Body section the education of Buxus to a well-formed border or opaque green wall from the base to the hedge crown. This is how it works:

• Prune the box hedge twice a year
• With each cut, leave only a few centimeters of the previous growth on the shoots
• In total, build up an annual increase in height of 5 to 10 centimeters
• Align the incision to a trapezoidal shape with a wider base for light-flooded growth

The gradual build-up slows the flow of sap towards the top buds and directs a large part of the nutrients into the side branches. It will undoubtedly take longer to reach the desired final level if you integrate at least two of these levels into the education phase. You will be rewarded for your patience with a reliably dense box hedge. This is all the more true if you follow the recommendations of this tutorial and give your hedge a light-flooded trapezoidal shape to lend. Where the sun's rays penetrate deep into a box hedge, photosynthesis is diligently carried out for the vital growth of densely leafed branches.

Each time you cut the hedge, keep the branches a few inches higher. Measure the circumference of the cut so that the box hedge gains 5 to 10 centimeters in height per year.

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Cutting the box electrically or by hand?

Boxwood hedges remain a feast for the eyes

When the desired final height is reached, the pruning is usually reduced to one maintenance pruning per year. Gardeners with a weakness for the accurate boxwood hedge use it up to three times a year Hedge trimmer. For an even cut without brown spots, please do not cut into the woody area of ​​the shoot. A small piece of this year's, non-lignified growth should in principle remain. This is how the exemplary hedge conservation pruning succeeds:

• The best time for the one-off cut is on St. John's Day at the end of June
• Preservation cut with deadwood clearing up to 1. March perform according to Federal Nature Conservation Act
• Tension cords in advance for orientation for a conical shape of the cut
• Spread foil or old blankets under the hedge to catch the fine clippings
• Put on gloves and protective goggles
• Check all safety measures on the motorized hedge trimmer

There are no firmly cemented specifications for the sequence in which the incision is made. As you gain experience, you will determine whether you would prefer to start with the hedge sides or the hedge crown. There is also a controversial discussion among home gardeners as to whether the scissors should work their way from the base to the tip or vice versa.

Step by step to the perfect boxwood ball - instructions for the topiary

The shape cut for the boxwood ball is the ideal project for beginners. You direct the growth into the desired spherical shape when planting in the bed and tub. A step-by-step upbringing results in a stable box that is densely branched into the interior. Use a cardboard stencil to make a helpful template. How to proceed step by step:

Tinker stencil

• Measure the diameter of the box ball
• Subtract the intended length of the cut back (usually between 3 and 5 cm on each side)
• Subtract the amount to be cut from the diameter
• Draw the determined radius as a semicircle on a piece of cardboard
• Cut out the arc with sharp scissors
• Fix the template to a rod with tape or wire

Topiary with template

• Insert the stick with the finished template in the middle of the boxwood
• Position so that the template can be rotated
• Cut the shoots with the box scissors along the edge of the template

Make the appropriate template in proportion to the growth. As illustrated below, the successive build-up a stable, densely branched boxwood ball. For each phase of upbringing, you can use the template method to cut the spherical growth shape.

Build up a boxwood ball step by step. Numerous branches form at the interfaces. This strategy creates a stable wood that does not fall apart even when there is snow pressure.

Cone training with strings - it's that easy

Use the template strategy as well when forming a boxwood cone. Already during the construction phase you train the shrub to form a cone. Cords with knotted pieces of wood, which you stretch between the tip of the central shoot and the ground, serve as orientation. An angle of 60 ° and larger prevents a squat appearance. Look at the plant from above as you cut the cone mantle.

From cone to spiral - this is how it works

In the finished boxwood cone, use a wide ribbon to mark the spiral-shaped indentations, which you will follow with the scissors for the final cut. Already measure the circumference of the cut with the conic section so that you are still in this year's shoot growth when cutting the spiral shape. At the end, remove the marking tape and the boxwood spiral you have designed yourself is ready.

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With stencils for an evergreen work of art

Rejuvenate boxwood in stages - this is how you do it right

Placing a bald, aged box tree on the stick does not make sense. The evergreen deciduous wood will hardly sprout again from old wood. On the other hand, if you approach the rejuvenation step by step, there is a good chance of success. That is how it goes:

• The best time is in late winter until 1. March
• In the first step, remove dead branches
• Cut back no more than a quarter of the aged shoots by half to two thirds each winter
• With each cut, leave a short cone with unbranched side shoots or leaves

Long, overhanging branches with broom-like branches at the top are slimmed down. Look for a one to two year old side shoot on the old shoot. Use the scissors where a thick, old branch and a young shoot fork. The young shoot takes over the leadership position with immediate effect, so that there is no gap in the box tree.

Rejuvenation can only be achieved in several steps on the boxwood. Divert a maximum of a quarter of the bald shoots each year to a young side shoot or small cones with leaves.

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The cone cut promotes fresh budding

frequently asked Questions

Is boxwood poisonous?

All parts of the boxwood plant contain toxins. The deliberate and unintentional consumption of leaves, flowers or fruits can cause significant symptoms of intoxication, such as nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting. Immediate skin contact with the toxic plant sap causes painful allergic reactions. Box trees should always be kept out of the reach of children and animals. Please protect yourself from the poisonous sap by wearing gloves when cutting and caring for your animals.

Box tree moth on my edging hedge - what can I do?

In the early stage of the infestation, immediate control has to be used high pressure cleaner(€ 99.99 at Amazon *) and foil proven. Before doing this, spread the foil under the infested hedge without any gaps. Then spray the infested box hedge vigorously and deep into the interior. The voracious caterpillars fall onto the foil and can be disposed of in the residual waste. Repeat the method until no more caterpillars can be seen. In the advanced stage of infestation, most box hedges are doomed. Before clearing a historical edging hedge, it is worth trying to combat it with Bacillus thuringiensis, a biocide that is recommended for use in organically managed gardens.

Which type of boxwood is best suited for topiary pruning as a ball?

The premium variety for the perfect boxwood ball is 'Blauer Heinz' (Buxus sempervirens). The slowly growing boxwood grows to a height of 40 to 50 centimeters and is naturally spherical and compact. Its bluish shimmering foliage gives the ornamental wood a special note. The 'Herrenhausen' variety, which grows a little higher at 60 centimeters, is also recommended for topiary. In comparison, the pure species reaches an impressive 200 to 450 centimeters in height and extends just as far in width.

I want to transplant a 5 year old and 1 meter high boxwood ball in winter. Is it necessary to cut back? What do you have to pay attention to?

When transplanting boxwood balls, it is important to ensure that you cut off the root ball in a radius that corresponds to the diameter of the ball. Prepare a large, new planting hole for the plant with plenty of fresh potting soil. Water regularly after transplanting, as drought stress is the greatest risk factor. Please do not cut back to compensate for the lost root volume until March / April. If you cut too early, the cuts will dry out and frost will get deep into the shoots. Avoid cutting into the old wood, as boxwood will then only sprout slowly.

Leaves on the box turn orange and brown. The shoots have black stripes. What to do?

Here you describe the classic symptoms of a widespread fungal disease of Buxus, also known as boxwood shoot death (Cylindrocladium). Popular Buxus varieties such as 'Blauer Heinz' and 'Suffruticosa' are often affected. But other varieties are not spared either. Immediately cut out all affected shoots and dispose of the clippings in household waste or the organic waste bin. Then remove all leaves lying on the ground as well as the top substrate layer in the bed and tub.

The 3 most common mistakes

If the pruning on the boxwood does not lead to the hoped-for success, the following 3 common pruning errors are usually responsible for the dilemma:

Tips

There are numerous risks associated with planting boxwood. Box tree moths, fungal diseases and other pathogenic agents lurk on the evergreen deciduous trees. So consider a resistant alternative. Mountain Ilex (Ilex crenata) looks very similar to boxwood, but has a more robust constitution and more stable winter hardiness.