Boxwood Care - How To Grow Boxwood Shrubs

How to Care for Boxwood

Provide Adequate Drainage. Boxwood plants tolerate a variety of soils, whether acidic or alkaline, rich or infertile. ...
Protect Boxwood Roots. Boxwood plants have a shallow root system that can easily dry out. ...
Prune Boxwood by Thinning. ...
Winter Protection for Boxwood. ...
Water Boxwood Wisely. ...
Fertilize Boxwood as Needed.

How do you stimulate boxwood growth?

Selective trimming, especially for young boxwoods, encourages healthy, but slow growth. Trim the boxwood so it's wider at the base than at the top -- a slight pyramid shape. As you remove stems, both air and sunlight penetrate the shrub with more intensity.

Do boxwoods like sun or shade?

Prune back all dying branches to healthy wood, remove all debris from the center of the plant, and thin out some of the outside growth so that air and light can reach the center. Exposure: Boxwoods thrive in full sun or light shade, but they don't like exposed, very windy sites, particularly in winter.

What is the best fertilizer for boxwood shrubs?

Slow-release, balanced fertilizers are best for boxwood, and a granular form of urea fertilizer 10-6-4 is recommended. You also can use aged manure or cottonseed meal if your plant appears healthy, as long as you are making sure your boxwood has plenty of nitrogen.

Where do boxwoods grow best?

Boxwoods are adapted to a wide range of light conditions. They tolerate heavy shade but will grow in full sun if the roots are in a good soil environment. Boxwoods should only be planted in well-drained soils. Never plant them near downspouts or in any area that stays wet.

How long does it take for boxwood bushes to grow?

How fast do boxwood grow? Overall, boxwood has a very slow growth rate that's typically 6 inches or less per year. Boxwoods can be broken down into growth rates of slow, medium and fast — although keep in mind that even the fast growth rate of boxwood varieties is quite slow in comparison to other landscape shrubs.

How do you revive a dying boxwood shrub?

Prune out any dead or diseased branches with shears, cutting back to just outside a set of leaves. Check the cut to see if the wood is healthy and green, dry or streaked with brown. If the wood is healthy, the shrub will recover. If not, cut back farther until you reach healthy wood or remove the entire branch.

Can you keep a boxwood small?

Miniature boxwoods generally grow wider than their height. Boxwoods such as Buxus microphylla japonica can be kept to 6 inches tall, although this boxwood grows 4 to 6 feet tall when left unclipped. Use the narrower spacing for a 6-inch-high hedge and the wider spacing for 2-foot-tall hedges.

What can I plant instead of boxwoods?

Boxwood Alternatives

Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra) If you want to replicate the look of boxwood shrubs, you will love inkberry holly. ...
Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata) Another evergreen, boxwood look-alike, is Japanese holly. ...
Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) ...
Juniper.

Do boxwoods need a lot of water?

Watering Boxwood Shrubs

As a general rule, one or two deep waterings per week is plenty during the plant's first year, decreasing to once per week during the shrub's second growing season. Thereafter, watering a boxwood is necessary only during periods of hot, dry weather.

Is Miracle Gro good for boxwoods?

Can Miracle-Gro Miracid Plant Food be used on boxwoods? Miracle-Gro Miracid Plant Food is for acid loving plants. Boxwoods are not acid loving plants, so it should not be used on them.

Is Epsom salt good for boxwoods?

While Epsom salts can be sprinkled around the boxwood and watered in, a homemade foliar spray gets better results, according to the National Gardening Association. Mix 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts into a gallon of water and use a hand or pump sprayer to apply the mixture directly to the boxwood's foliage.

How do you take care of a boxwood shrub?

How to Care for Boxwood

Provide Adequate Drainage. Boxwood plants tolerate a variety of soils, whether acidic or alkaline, rich or infertile. ...
Protect Boxwood Roots. Boxwood plants have a shallow root system that can easily dry out. ...
Prune Boxwood by Thinning. ...
Winter Protection for Boxwood. ...
Water Boxwood Wisely. ...
Fertilize Boxwood as Needed.

Are boxwoods easy to grow?

Boxwood is undoubtedly the most functional plant in garden history, as well as being attractive and easy to grow in sun or shade, and in a range of soil types.

Do boxwoods stay green all year?

A. Many varieties of boxwood retain their green color during the winter months; others will turn off-color. ... Some boxwoods that are prized for retaining their green color throughout most winters are 'Wintergreen', 'Green Velvet', 'Green Mountain', and 'Glencoe'.

How far apart should boxwoods be planted?

Place the plants 2 feet apart. Those dwarf varieties that should be 2 to 3 feet apart for a grouping or row of individual plants should be squeezed to more like 15 or 18 inches apart for a low hedge. Use a tape measure and string or spray paint to mark the line of your hedge.

What shrubs grow fast and tall?

7 Fast-Growing Shrubs

North Privet. Ligustrum x ibolium.
Forsythia. Forsythia x intermedia.
Crapemyrtle. Lagerstroemia indica.
Beautybush. Kolkwitzia amabilis.
American Hazelnut. Corylus americana.
Pee Gee Hydrangea. Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora'

Will boxwoods grow in shade?

The boxwood can be grown as a standalone plant, in groups or as a hedge. Furthermore, the boxwood has been used in containers, topiaries and for bonsai purposes. They can thrive in light shade as well as full sun.

How tall do boxwood shrubs get?

The common boxwood grows to a height of 15–20' and a spread of 15–20' at maturity.

Why are my boxwood shrubs dying?

If your boxwood is dying in its middle, it may be Root Rot. Fortunately, the chances of Root Rot can be reduced with using proper planting practices. Boxwoods should not be planted in poorly drained compacted soil or in areas where water collects.

Why are my boxwood bushes turning brown?

Boxwoods, like other plants, can show drought stress by the browning of foliage. ... The symptoms of drought stress are typically browning of the center of leaves and chlorotic foliage. Drought stress of boxwood plants can cause the yellowing and necrosis of foliage. Photo by Jan Byrne, MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics.

Will my boxwood come back?

"Boxwoods can be cut back pretty dramatically and they'll re-grow nicely. ... "But because boxwoods are very prone to winter damage, you want to time their pruning—especially a hard pruning—carefully. The best time is that period where the end of winter meets the beginning of Spring, just before the new growth appears.