Boxwood inspires in beds and tubs with its dense, evergreen foliage. Buxus tolerates frequent pruning, which makes the deciduous shrub predestined for formal hedges and green garden sculptures. This tutorial explains in detail when and how to properly cut boxwood.

Boxwood is easy to cut into shape

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. Types of cuts and dates
  2. plant cutting
  3. Hedge trimming
  4. Hedge maintenance cut
  5. Ball topiary
  6. taper cut
  7. frequently asked Questions

    8. Various types of cuts - table with all options and dates

    Boxwood has played a key role in garden design since the Middle Ages. Legendary gardens, such as the Palace Gardens of Versailles, would lack an atmospheric accent without Buchs. The evergreen all-rounders are still useful today as decorative bed borders, creative garden figures or majestic privacy hedges. The following table includes all types of cuts with tips on the best dates:

    cut type aim Appointment Option I Appointment option II Appointment Option III
    plant cutting dense branching, compact shape after planting a year later in March/April none
    Hedge trimming Raising an opaque hedge March April June July August September
    Hedge maintenance cut Maintaining shape and vitality April May June July August September
    Geometric topiary Design of a boxwood ball April May June July August September
    taper cut Revitalization and reconstruction of solitaire and hedge February to March 1 spread over several years none none

    background

    The Federal Nature Conservation Act takes precedence at the time of cutting

    The good pruning tolerance of boxwood allows more frequent pruning measures than you are used to from other garden shrubs. It is up to your gardening decision to prune your box trees beyond the stated dates. As long as the extent of pruning is limited to this year's growth, there are no restrictions on the number of pruning measures. In the case of a clearing and rejuvenation cut, however, the provisions of the Federal Nature Conservation Act must be observed. Thinning out dead wood, radical pruning and putting on the stick is only permitted on woody plants from October 1st to February 28th.

    Plant pruning in two stages for a dense foliage

    Acquire boxwood as an inexpensive one rootware or hardly branched pots, we recommend cutting the plants twice. The uncomplicated style of pruning aims to ensure that evergreen Buxus shrubs thrive densely bushy at the base from day one. The positive effect affects a solitary shrub and a hedge equally. If a boxwood finds its way into your garden as a richly branched container plant, this type of cut can be removed from the care program. This is how the pruning works correctly:

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

    Plant pruning uses the growth law of top support to motivate box trees to branch out densely at the base. By nature, the plant juices rush towards the top buds with vehemence to drive growth towards the sunlight. This strategy is at the expense of the shrub base, which branches sparsely without pruning measures. By cutting off the top buds every 12 months, the nutritious juice pressure is distributed to the lower regions and induces increased growth.

    Shorten all shoots by half after planting boxwood as a solitaire or hedge.

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

    Build a box hedge systematically - this is how it works

    An uncut boxwood hedge would not be immediately recognizable as such for most home gardeners. only one continuous cutting care elicits a homogeneous contour of fine foliage from the evergreen shrubs. As already introduced with the pruning of plants, a gradual build-up pruning aims to train Buxus into a well-formed border or opaque green wall from the base to the crown of the hedge. How to do it:

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

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

    With every hedge trimming, let the branches stand a few centimeters higher. Measure the cutting circumference so that the boxwood hedge gains 5 to 10 centimeters in height per year.

    digression

    Cut boxwood electrically or by hand?

    When purchasing the right cutting tools, the following rule of thumb applies: the more detailed the cut, the shorter the cutting edges should be. The pruning of a large hedge is easy with a conventional electric, battery-powered or two-hand hedge trimmer. (24.99€) The artful topiary, on the other hand, requires the use of special boxwood shears with short blades, which you can purchase as electric, battery-powered or hand shears be able. Topiary experts use sheep shears, whose precise cut is ideal for all fine work. Important for all boxwood shears are freshly sharpened blades, which you should carefully clean before and after and disinfect with spirit.

    Boxwood hedges remain a feast for the eyes

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

    • The best time for the one-time cut is on St. John's Day, at the end of June
    • Carry out maintenance pruning with deadwood clearing by March 1st, in accordance with the Federal Nature Conservation Act
    • Tension cords in advance for orientation for a conical cut
    • Spread foil or old blankets under the hedge to catch the fine clippings
    • Put on gloves and goggles
    • Check all safety measures on motorized hedge trimmers

    There are no firmly cemented specifications for the order in which the incision is to be made. As you gain experience, you will find out whether you prefer to start with the sides of the hedge or the crown of the hedge. Likewise, there is controversy among home gardeners as to whether the shears should work their way from the base to the top or vice versa.

    tips

    Do not cut boxwood in rainy summer weather. The combination of moisture and heat triggers fungal pathogens. If necessary, postpone the cut date, which is easily possible given the cut tolerance of Buxus. If the pruning takes place in sunny, dry weather, cover freshly cut shrubs and hedges with a shading net. A cut exposes older leaves, which quickly become sunburned.

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

    The topiary for the boxwood ball is the ideal project for beginners. Direct the growth into the desired spherical shape when planting in beds and tubs. A step-by-step training cut results in a stable boxy bush that is densely branched to the inside. Use a cardboard template to make a helpful template. How to proceed step by step:

    make a template

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

    Shape cutting with template

    • Insert the stick with the finished template in the middle of the boxwood
    • Position so that the template can be rotated
    • Use boxwood scissors to cut off the shoots along the edge of the template

    Make the appropriate template in proportion to the growth. As illustrated in the figure below, the successive construction a stable, densely branched boxwood ball. For each phase of education, you can use the template method to cut the spherical growth form.

    Build a boxwood sphere step by step. Numerous branches form at the interfaces. This strategy creates a stable grove that won't fall apart, even under snow pressure.

    Kegel training with strings - it's that easy

    Also follow the template strategy when forming a boxwood cone. Already during the build-up phase, train the shrub into a cone. Strings with knotted pieces of wood, which you stretch between the tip of the central drive and the ground, serve as orientation. An angle of 60° and larger prevents a stocky appearance. When cutting the cone coat, look at the plant from above.

    From the cone to the spiral - this is how it works

    In the finished boxwood cone, use a wide ribbon to mark the spiral-shaped indentations that you follow with the scissors for the final cut. When cutting the cone, measure the circumference of the cut in such a way that you are still in this year's growth when cutting the spiral shape. At the end, remove the marking tape and the self-designed boxwood spiral is complete.

    digression

    With stencils for an evergreen work of art

    You can seamlessly transfer the instructions for the spherical shape cut to geometric and imaginative design variants of all kinds. Stable, reusable templates made of wire are helpful for an accurate result. For artistically demanding figures such as birds, squirrels, swans or fairytale characters, specialist shops have stable wire templates ready. These are slipped over the boxwood so that you can simply cut off the protruding shoots. Gardeners with manual skills can easily tinker with the appropriate wire framework themselves.

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

    It doesn't make sense to put a bare, aged box tree on the stick. The evergreen deciduous tree hardly sprout again from old wood. If, on the other hand, you approach the rejuvenation step by step, the chances of success are good. That is how it goes:

    • The best time is in late winter until March 1st
    • In the first step, thin out dead branches
    • Cut back no more than a quarter of the senile 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 branching at the top are slimmed down. Look for a one- to two-year-old side shoot on the over-aged shoot. Use the scissors where a thick, old branch and young shoot fork. The young shoot takes over the leading position immediately, so that there are no gaps in the boxwood.

    A rejuvenation of the box tree can only succeed in several steps. Divert a maximum of a quarter of the dead shoots to a young side shoot or small cones with leaves each year.

    background

    Pruning promotes fresh shoots

    It is thanks to a sophisticated pruning technique that a rejuvenated box tree from old wood allows fresh shoots to sprout. The tenon cut ensures that sufficient reserves are available for renewed growth at a cutting point on the old wood. To do this, place the scissors in such a way that a 3 to 5 centimeter long cone with leaves or a lateral shoot remains. If you cannot find any leaves or at least one shoot at the intended cutting point, cut to cones with a sleeping eye. Thanks to the remaining parts of the plant on the cone, the supply of nutrients to the old wood does not come to a standstill, which optimizes the prospects for new growth.

    frequently asked Questions

    Is boxwood poisonous?

    All parts of the boxwood plant contain toxins. The intentional and unintentional consumption of leaves, flowers or fruits can cause significant symptoms of poisoning, such as nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting. Direct 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 wear gloves to protect yourself from the poisonous plant sap during cutting and maintenance work.

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

    In the early stages of infestation, immediate combating with a high-pressure cleaner (€119.90) and foil has proven its worth. First, spread out the foil under the infested hedge without 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 with the residual waste. Repeat the method until there are no more caterpillars to be seen. In the advanced stage of infestation, most boxwood hedges are doomed. Before clearing a historical border hedge, it is worth trying to control it with Bacillus thuringiensis, a biocide recommended for use in organic gardens.

    Which boxwood variety is best suited for topiary as a ball?

    The premium variety for the perfect boxwood ball is 'Blauer Heinz' (Buxus sempervirens). The slow-growing boxwood grows to a height of 40 to 50 centimeters and naturally thrives in a spherical and compact shape. Its bluish shimmering foliage gives the ornamental tree a special touch. Also recommended for topiary is the 'Herrenhausen' variety, which grows a little taller at 60 centimetres. In comparison, the pure species reaches an impressive 200 to 450 centimeters in height and spreads just as far in width.

    I would like to transplant a 5 year old and 1 meter high boxwood ball in winter. Is a pruning necessary? What to look out for

    When transplanting boxwood balls, it is primarily important to ensure that you cut off the root ball in a radius that corresponds to the diameter of the ball. Prepare a generous, new planting hole for the plant with plenty of fresh potting soil. Water regularly after transplanting because drought stress is the biggest 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 penetrate deep into the shoots. Avoid cutting into the old wood, because then boxwood will only sprout again slowly.

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

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

    The 3 most common cutting mistakes

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

    cutting error damage picture prevention
    no pruning on bare-root young boxwood sparsely branched, prematurely bare shrub base Cut back all shoots by half in the year of planting and one year later
    too deep, cut into the old wood brown discolored spots for a long time always cut in this year's growth
    Box hedge set on stick no new shoots, total failure Rejuvenate an overgrown hedge step by step
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    tips

    The planting of boxwood is fraught with numerous risks. Box tree moths, fungal diseases and other pathogens lurk on the evergreen deciduous trees. So consider a resistant alternative. Mountain holly (Ilex crenata) looks confusingly like boxwood, but has a more robust constitution and more stable winter hardiness.

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Vegetable garden