Pruning boxwood: when is the best time?

No other wood gets visitors from the secateurs as often as the box tree. After all, its easy malleability is the main reason why it is allowed to decorate our gardens. But in order for it to get the desired shape and keep it for a long time, it must regularly and at the right time leave some of the green shoots. Topiary is an art in itself that requires a steady hand and specialist knowledge. But, as is well known, practice also leads to mastery.

Cut boxwood

The first year remains scissor-free

A box tree grows very slowly from the start. In the first year of planting, it also needs some of its energy to grow. The new shoot is therefore so modest that there is hardly anything to cut. In order to give it a shape, however, there must be enough green matter. Therefore, you should leave a freshly planted specimen alone and only in the following year swing the scissors.

time

When should the Buxus sempervirens be cut?

For the annual average or There is no best time to make cuts. However, the rough time frame is clearly defined and should be adhered to for the benefit of the boxwood.

• April to September is the ideal time
• after September should not be cut any more
• New shoots would have little time to mature before winter

The ideal day for cutting measures

Long periods of rain are unsuitable for cutting. Shortened shoots provide open cuts through which pathogens can easily enter. The moisture also increases the risk of illness. The consequence could be the unsightly death of instincts.

Even on very hot and dry days, it should not be cut. The exposed older leaves are no longer used to the hot sun and can easily burn. There is also a risk of burns in autumn, when temperatures are low but solar radiation is high.

frequency

How often does boxwood have to be cut?

Tree type, quality and the desired shape are the parameters that decide on further pruning measures. Once a year every boxwood should be cut. But there are a few reasons to use the secateurs more often during the year.

• some geometric shape cuts require a second cutting pass
• three cuts ensure an even better result
• young trees must first branch out abundantly
• a third cut a year is also beneficial for them

tip: In the case of very detailed figures, you should shorten the shoots more often. Every four weeks is a good rhythm.

Topiary

The first cut

The first cut of the year is also called Topiary although ultimately all cuts also serve to preserve the shape. First, the Buxus sempervirens is given enough time to develop fresh shoots. The scissors are used in the middle of this first growth phase.

• from May to mid-June
• depending on the budding that actually took place

If only one pruning a year is planned, it should be done in July.

Care cut

The second cutting measure

The second cut is called Care cut designated. However, because it is based on the first cut, it also serves to create a clear design.

• beginning of September at the latest
• don't cut later
• If you don't have enough time, skip it

Promote branching

The third pruning measure

The third grip on scissors is actually one Intermediate cut and is inserted between the two cuts described above. It is not a must, but it promotes branching and shapes the contours. If you can schedule it, you shouldn't be without it.

• The end of July is the best time

The right tool

The box tree can easily be brought into the desired shape by hand. The typical secateurs are less suitable, however, as the shoots get caught between the cutting edges. The so-called Sheep shears is ideal for this wood because the cutting edges are parallel to each other. The scissors can be opened again easily every time.
The more filigree the boxwood figure is to be, the shorter the scissors used must be. Electric or battery-powered hedge trimmers can also be used for hedges.

Cutting boxwood: instructions

The step-by-step approach

The boxwood tolerates cuts in the wood of the previous year without any problems. Since optics are the most important thing for this tree, only the fresh shoots be shortened. This is the only way to avoid sparsely leafy areas.

Start the desired shape as soon as the new shoots are a few inches long. Gradually approach the shape you want by cutting just a little at first. With every further step you can outline the contour more and more clearly.

The limits of topiary

Which shape the boxwood should take depends entirely on your wishes and requirements.

• simple, square hedge
• Balls, spirals, cones
• other figures

There are no limits to the imagination when it comes to shaping. Only the implementation needs to be skillful. A square hedge is easy and cutting errors can still be corrected. Complex figures are more demanding and not feasible for every hobby gardener. No form should fail on the box tree, because it is characterized by the following features:

• dense and strongly branched growth
• good cut tolerance
• Shoot from new and old wood

Cutting aids

A good eye alone is not always enough to get a clean shape when cutting. It can be helpful to make templates beforehand. If you want a boxwood ball, you can, for example, draw a semicircle on sturdy cardboard and cut it out with a wallpaper knife. The template is placed on the boxwood and moved. In this way, all protruding shoots can be cut off gradually.