As a hedge, evergreen bed edging or imaginative topiary: boxwood can be used in many different ways in the garden. So that the wood keeps its shape and dense growth is also striven for, you should regularly use pruning shears. However, a pruning does not make sense at any time of the year.
After September, the boxwood should not be cut back
The best time to cut back
In general, the rule is that boxwood should be pruned between April and September, with the last date being mid-September at most. In the fall, pruning is not advisable, for several reasons:
- Pruning encourages the plant to sprout again, but this is not a good idea just before winter.
- The shoots that are now sprouting do not ripen in time, so there is a risk of frost damage.
- A pruning in autumn promotes fungal diseases.
- If you cut back heavily in autumn, there is a risk that the box will no longer sprout in spring.
Which is why pruning early in the year is better
Instead, you should trim your buchs once in spring and a second time in early summer. It used to be said that the plants should not be cut back before the end of April for reasons of frost protection. In the meantime, however, it is known that an early cut - even before budding - is an effective protection against fungal diseases and pests such as the box tree moth. Both the fungal spores and the pest eggs hibernate in boxwood and appear when it gets warm enough from around the beginning of March. Therefore, according to newer guidelines, pruning between January and March is recommended, provided that there is no frost and rain at this time.
Timing of cutting depends on weather conditions
In any case, the weather plays a major role in determining the right time to cut: To reduce the risk of fungal infection, you should never cut boxwood when it rains. Even a day with bright sunshine is not suitable for such a project, as sun damage can occur. Instead, choose a time when the sky is overcast and it's not raining.
tips
Use the sharpest possible and disinfected hedge and pruning shears to cut the boxwood. (17.82€) Blunt or electric shears are not very suitable because they crush and injure the shoots and leaves. This in turn acts as an invitation to all sorts of fungal pathogens.