Boxwood is an unusual and slightly mystical plant, which in the times of our ancestors was used as a material for protective amulets. On magical powers trees were pinned on human hopes for the fulfillment of secret desires. The man believed in a mysterious power hidden in the boxwood, which could influence fate. Even in modern world some peoples retained faith in the powers of boxwood. It is believed that the plant is able to protect against evil spirits and resist dark magical forces.
Of course, few people believe in the magic of plants these days, but in addition to their interesting story, boxwood, or its second name buxus, is original decoration any land plot. The plant is in great demand among lovers of landscape design as a original solution when arranging hedges and green sculptures, as in the photo.
When using axle box in this capacity, it is necessary to take into account greater height tree. Although it belongs to slow-growing species, it can ultimately grow up to 10, and in some cases, 15 m. Therefore, it is advisable to grow it in large areas. Otherwise, during the growth process, boxwood will obscure other crops growing on the land.
The crown of the bush is pliable to cutting, and thanks to this, designers create bizarre figures and living sculptures. Boxwood belongs to the genus evergreens and for this reason it pleases the human eye all year round. Buxus has found its application as a camouflage for unsightly buildings and other objects that you want to hide from human sight. I would also like to mention low-growing varieties boxwood, which are used as parterre hedges and borders. Boxwood, a photo of the fence from which you can see, will last until you get tired of it, although this is unlikely.
In most cases, boxwood planting is carried out in the spring, in order to start winter cold the plant had time to get stronger. The tree loves soil with high level acidity pH, so when preparing the soil it is advisable to feed it peat and bone meal. To plant young boxwood seedlings, previously grown in containers, you need:
- prepare a hole in size corresponding to the volume of soil in the container with the seedling;
- carefully remove the rhizome together with a lump of earth, lightly shake the soil and straighten the roots, which very often intertwine with each other;
- place the seedling in the hole and cover it with soil so that a small ditch is formed in a circle from the trunk, water it generously and mulch using any available material.
Transplantation of mature trees that are 3 or more years old is carried out from the beginning of the first spring month until the end of November. To do this, the plant is dug in a circle and, as in the previous case, together with the earthen lump is transferred to a new place of growth. In order for the tree to endure this procedure painlessly, it must be watered and sprayed abundantly with water for 10-15 days after moving to a new habitat.
Feeding boxwood trees
In the spring or autumn, when the soil is being dug up, the boxwood needs to be fed. If we are talking about mineral fertilizers, then it is advisable to use complex nitrogen-containing compounds with the addition of potassium and phosphorus, or purchase already ready mixture in the shop. In the fall, adding nitrogen to fertilizer for feeding is not recommended; it is better to use superphosphates and potassium salts. It must be remembered that fertilizing with fertilizers mineral based possible only after complete rooting of boxwood.
In early May, the soil around the boxwood mulched. If necessary, you can sprinkle dry fertilizer mixtures to fertilize the plant. After this, a 6-8 cm layer of mulch is distributed around the trunk, so that it does not touch the plant itself. Otherwise, the young tree may simply die. The layer of mulch around the plant is renewed every spring.
Pruning and trimming boxwood
Boxwood, which is cared for from the beginning of spring until the fall (from April to the end of September) should get a monthly haircut I. In return, the gardener will receive a lush, green and dense crown of the plant. It is important to remember that the more often pruning is carried out, the more larger volume The plant must be watered and fertilized to restore its vitality.
For pruning, it is advisable to use garden shears with a short blade. Work is carried out in the spring months depending on the weather and conditions climate zone boxwood growth. The tree grows at a slow pace, so it is better to perform pruning that forms future form crowns also in garden design produced decorative cutting of boxwood:
- They begin to trim young bushes only after reaching 2 years of age, when the plant is completely rooted. The exception is the border varieties of boxwood as in the photo, which form 3 weeks after planting in the ground.
- Trimming is done quite often, since even a minor correction of the crown significantly affects the growth rate and density of the leaves. The procedure is repeated throughout the entire period of active growth, at least once a month, which will allow you to give the boxwood the most bizarre shapes, as in the photo.
- It is not recommended to trim boxwood in hot sunny weather, as this can lead to burns on the tips of the foliage. Ideally, cloudy weather or evening time days.
- After cutting, you definitely need plenty of watering and a shower. When watering, you can use a special fertilizer for decorative plants. garden plants, which will stimulate the growth of green mass.
I would like to draw special attention to the fact that boxwood, like garden lily of the valley, is a toxic plant. The maximum concentration of toxic substances is contained in the foliage. Therefore, in the process of growing it, and especially cutting it, you should not neglect minimum requirements security.
Boxwood cuttings for propagation
The optimal way to propagate boxwood is considered cuttings, which is held from June to September inclusive. But it is better to carry out cuttings in July so that the seedlings have time to get stronger and take root before the onset of frost.
Boxwood cuttings should never be germinated in water. Drying in the sun is also unacceptable. Therefore, the cutting is cut from a young, but already strong 1-2-year-old plant with sharp garden scissors or a knife and immediately planted in the ground. In this case, the leaves are not removed from the cuttings. Cuttings are planted in 10 cm increments, and the soil around the plant is compacted.
It is better to plant plants in a shady or semi-shady zone, with a distance between rows of at least 20 cm. Before planting the cuttings, the bed is dug to a depth bayonet shovel and after planting the seedling, water it abundantly. In the future, you need to prevent the top layer of soil from drying out.
After several months, the first young shoots will appear, and closer to autumn, small bushes will begin to form. Before the onset of frost, the soil around the plant is mulched, and it is advisable to cover the seedling itself. With the onset of spring, already strong seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place.
Common diseases and pests of boxwood
Boxwood is most susceptible to attack gall midges. With the onset of the first summer months, the females of this pest lay their eggs on the young leaves of the plant. The larvae that emerge from the eggs penetrate the leaf, forming spots and swellings in it, and continue to live there until May. next year. With heavy damage, the foliage dries and falls off. With regular pruning and cleaning of affected foliage, insect attacks can be curbed to some extent. Chemical treatment of boxwood against insects is carried out from mid-spring to the end of the first summer month.
The plant is also susceptible necrosis which is caused by a fungus. At the same time, the shoots of the plant begin to dry at the ends, and spots appear on the foliage. To combat the disease, pruning of affected areas and treatment with fungicides are used.
In principle, boxwood is an unpretentious plant, especially if it grows in temperate climatic conditions. But it's still worth following some useful tips for caring for boxwood:
- Boxwood prefers clay soil With high content lime If the plant is planted in sandy soil, it is advisable to use mature compost.
- It is advisable to carry out regular watering so that the soil is slightly moist at all times. The plant prefers shade or partial shade. Therefore, the volume of watering in the summer heat needs to be increased.
- Boxwood pruning should only be done sharp, special garden scissors with short blade. In this case, each haircut should be completed with fertilizing and watering. You need to use only special fertilizers for ornamental garden crops.
- Before the onset of frost, the plants need to be filled with a large volume of water so that it is saturated before the onset of a long period of time. cold winter. After watering, it is advisable to scatter peat around the plant. In case of severe frosts of more than -10°C, the border boxwood is covered with several layers of burlap.
- Only with proper planting and proper care, the plant will grow at an accelerated pace and after 3 years you can begin to form a hedge or give it any other shape.
As you can see, growing and caring for boxwood is a rather painstaking process and requires a lot of attention. However, if you put in a little effort, the resulting hedge or a bizarrely shaped sculpture will decorate the design of your garden plot for many years.
Boxwood, or Buxus - one of the most interesting evergreen trees used in landscape gardening. Thanks to its dense crown of shiny leathery leaves, the ability to easily tolerate pruning and its moderate growth, it is a favorite plant for hedges And garden sculptures(topiary).
Buxus grows slowly, so it is often classified as a shrub. However, the height of a mature tree can reach 15 meters.
Topiary made from trimmed boxwood.
Distribution of boxwood.
- Eurasia (Europe, Mediterranean countries, Caucasus, China and Japan)
- Africa
- Central America
Best known boxwood evergreen , which has a wide growing area. There are many varieties of it, including variegated forms.
Even representatives of this type of boxwood have a hard time in the climate of central Russia. Severe winters are detrimental to columnar and topiary plants, so it is better to grow these forms of boxwood in containers.
In mild climates, boxwood becomes a decoration for the site and an interesting material for garden creativity.
Caution: It must be remembered that all parts of the plant are poisonous!
Planting boxwood.
Lighting.
Boxwood is undemanding to lighting conditions. Sometimes in the heat it needs shading from direct sun rays.
Preferring bright, diffused light, it also does well in shaded corners of the site. However, in the dense shade the boxwood crown becomes sparse and less decorative.
When growing boxwood in cold climates, you should choose a bright location.
The soil.
Boxwood grows well in almost any soil, if they have a sufficient amount of lime. On breathable fertile soils it develops much more actively and gives powerful growth. Does not tolerate stagnant water.
In nature, boxwoods are able to grow on mountain slopes, sometimes without a soil layer.
Landing dates.
For the climate of the middle zone, it is better to plant boxwood in the spring. so that by the time winter arrives, the plants will take root, adapt to the new place and become stronger. From the moment of planting until the first frost, at least a month must pass. Mature plants (over 3 years old) with a closed root system are planted throughout the summer.
Attention: When planting, do not bury the root collar of plants!
Planting plants in the ground.
- Before planting, the plants are thoroughly watered. Seedlings with bare roots It is better to soak in water for several hours.
- For planting, a hole or trench is dug (for a hedge), 2-3 times wider than an earthen clod, at the bottom of which you can pour drainage layer from perlite or other suitable material.
- If the plant is planted with an open root system, then it is necessary to carefully straighten the roots so that they do not bend inward.
- The pit is filled with fertile soil, spilled, and compacted to avoid the formation of voids.
- Planted plants are watered regularly. Fertilizer feeding begins no earlier than a month after planting.
Caring for boxwood.
Watering and fertilizing.
Boxwood is drought-resistant, but when grown in pots it needs regular watering. In hot summer weather, plants in tubs are watered daily. IN winter period Watering is reduced, but the earthen ball should not dry out either. Before the onset of cold weather, moisture-recharging watering is arranged for plants.
About the lack of any chemical element In the soil, boxwood signals by changing the color of the leaves. With a lack of nitrogen, the foliage takes on a bronze tint.
During the period of active growth add organic fertilizers . Use in spring mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Feeding at the end of summer with fertilizers containing potassium accelerates the ripening of shoots, preparing the plants for wintering.
Attention: Nitrogen-containing fertilizers should not be applied in autumn!
Wintering difficulties.
Late autumn, winter and early spring are difficult times for boxwood. Proper care will help plants survive the winter successfully.
Alternating frosts and thaws are the most dangerous for evergreen plants. Roots located in frozen ground are not able to provide moisture to plants heated by the sun, which leads to drying out and death of part of the crown, or even the plant itself.
To reduce moisture loss, it is advisable to mulch . For this they often use rotten pine needles or peat.
In harsh climates, it is advisable to cover boxwood plants. This should be done with the onset of cold weather -10 degrees C. The material used for shelter is spruce branches, wooden boards or boxes, covering material.
Plants on a trunk are tied to stakes and wrapped with covering material.
Small plants cover wooden boxes with air access. Metal constructions It is better not to use for shelters, as they cool in very coldy and can quickly overheat in the sun.
To cover hedges, a double layer of non-woven material is used.
Plants under snow cover tolerate winter well.
Removing winter shelters.
It is very important to remove the covering material in time in the spring, in order to avoid damping off and overheating of plants. They do this in cloudy (!) weather.
It is advisable to remove the cover gradually, for example, leave one layer of material or remove part of the spruce branches, so that the plants gradually get used to the sun. Usually a week for adaptation is enough, and the shelter is completely removed.
With the onset of spring warmth, the remnants of the snow cover are removed and raked away from the plants. This will ensure the soil warms up, which means the roots will begin to supply the plants with moisture earlier.
Boxwood pruning.
Boxwood grows quite slowly, therefore, usually the pruning process comes down to shortening new growths and correcting the crown. It is not recommended to trim plants in the first year after planting. In the second year, pruning is carried out once.
Pruning is done once a month during the period of active growth., until September. In warm climates, they begin to cut the buxus already in April, in cold regions - no earlier than May or even June. You should avoid trimming curly bushy plants on a sunny day, as this can lead to leaf burns.
Boxwood curly haircut.
In Europe and countries with warm climates, boxwood is used to create a variety of fancy shapes. However, we can only afford such garden delights with plants grown in pots that do not overwinter in open ground.
The basic rule of decorative haircuts - cut from the inside out and from top to bottom.
Trimming should be done evenly throughout the entire plant, in small portions, step by step. You should not immediately cut out a large area in one place to avoid mistakes and distortion of the shape.
Boxwood ball.
- For this purpose, you can build a semicircular template from cardboard, which is attached to the plant so that its axis coincides with the axis of the tree’s crown.
- Pruning involves removing branches that extend beyond the boundaries of the template.
- The template is moved as necessary.
- There are special templates for cutting boxwood on sale.
Trimming a boxwood hedge.
To ensure that the fence has the same shape throughout, use templates or pull cords. When the hedge reaches the required height, it is trimmed close to the level of last year's pruning.
Frequent pruning enhances the growth of lateral branches. The hedge becomes thicker and more attractive.
Hair cutting tool.
- Gardening scissors.
- Brushcutter (cutting hedges and large volumes).
- Special scissors for trimming boxwood (used for trimming curly plants) - in the photo.
Diseases and pests of boxwood.
Boxwood is rarely affected by pests, but can sometimes be attacked by an insect such as gall midge. At the beginning of summer, females lay eggs on young buxus leaves. Larvae hatching from eggs penetrate into leaf tissue. The affected leaves become covered with spots and swellings, then dry out.
Pruning and treating plants with insecticides helps combat this scourge.
Sometimes weakened plants are subjected to necrosis. As a result, the tips of the shoots dry out and the plants look sloppy. The use of fungicides solves the problem.
Boxwood propagation.
Boxwood reproduces by seeds, but The vegetative method is mainly used. Cuttings taken in summer or autumn are suitable for this purpose. The rooting rate of cuttings is high: more than 80%.
- For rooting, take slightly lignified cuttings (June-July) up to 10 cm long and containing at least 2 internodes. All lower leaves are removed.
- Sometimes long cuttings (up to 30 cm) are used.
- Treatment of cuttings with a root formation stimulator (heteroauxin or kornevin) will help accelerate the appearance of roots.
- The cuttings are planted in a loose substrate consisting of peat and fertile soil.
- The rooting site is protected from direct sunlight.
- Covering with plastic wrap or jars will help maintain moisture. You can build a small greenhouse.
- With sufficient humidity and warm conditions Rooting occurs after 3 weeks.
- Further care comes down to weeding and loosening the soil.
- It will be difficult for young, late-rooted plants to overwinter in the middle zone climate, even under cover. For the winter, it is better to dig them up and move them to a cool place, for example, in the basement, or place them on the windowsill at home.
Thus, with some effort, you can independently provide yourself with the necessary planting material.
With careful adherence to the rules of agricultural technology and careful care, you can achieve good results in growing this heat-loving beauty.
A variety of boxwood figures in 41 photos:
This evergreen shrub looks great even in winter. Take a look at the photo, its glossy bright green, rounded leaves confidently peek out from under the snowdrifts, symbolizing life. It is believed that evergreen boxwood is able to protect against evil spells and fulfill wishes. This article is all about the variety of varieties, planting, proper care, subtleties of cultivation, methods of propagation of buxus.
Varieties and varieties of evergreen boxwood
There are three known areas where boxwood (buxus) grows in nature: on the African continent; in northern Mexico and the island of Cuba. The largest natural distribution area of buxus is the southern regions of the European continent, the foothills of the Caucasus, China and Japan.
In Russia, buxus grows wild in the territory Krasnodar region, in Adygea, in the gorges of the Caucasus mountains, where mountain rivers flow. The only type of boxwood found here is Colchian (Buxus colchica). Unfortunately, the natural habitat of boxwood in Russia is constantly shrinking, which is due to barbaric cutting down of bushes and deteriorating environmental conditions: the crop is listed in the Red Book.
Only about 30 types of buxus are known, but only a few of them are widely used for ornamental gardening. Boxwoods are long-lived in the world of shrubs. The lifespan of one bush can be 500 years.
The following varieties of evergreen buxus (Buxus semperv irens) are used for landscaping areas of gardens and parks:
- Suffruticosis - characterized by a strictly vertical direction of growth;
- Blauer Heinz - hard shoots directed straight upward, grows very slowly, leaves are bluish in color;
- Elegans - used in landscape design for the formation of spherical garden shapes. The bush is naturally spherical in shape, the leaves are green;
- Tree buxus - shaped like a large bush or small tree. The leaves are dark green. The tallest of all varieties;
- Winter Gem is a low-growing, slow-growing shrub with small leaves, suitable for creating garden topiary forms and container growing.
Proper planting is the key to good growth of boxwood bushes
The place for landing the axle box must satisfy a number of requirements. The thing is that the crop grows and develops well in moderately moist soils. Areas with sandy or loamy soil composition are ideal for planting. Heavy, acidic soil is not suitable for planting evergreen boxwood bushes, therefore, in such areas, measures should first be taken to improve the soil structure.
High level groundwater will adversely affect the development of the boxwood root system. Considering that the crop has been growing in one place for over 500 years, the site should be selected carefully, taking into account the existing topography, soil composition and groundwater level.
Boxwood has a special relationship with exposure to sunlight. The plant prefers to grow in partial shade. Of course, it is difficult to avoid illuminating the plantings from the sun if boxwood bushes are used to create a hedge. But, ideally, the plant grows and develops well in the presence of shading from direct sunlight.
Evergreens continue to grow through the winter, when they may be starved of moisture in deeply frozen soil, which is exacerbated when planted in sunny locations. A dehydrated boxwood bush may lose most of its leaves and even die.
Usually planting of buxus in the garden is carried out in the spring, decorating it or. Special attention You should pay attention to the condition of the crown and root system of seedlings. The roots should not be dried out or broken, and the crown should not have bare spots or yellow leaves.
To plant bushes, separate holes or trenches are made (when constructing hedges); the depth of the prepared holes should be twice the length of the roots of the seedlings.
Advice! The distance between planted boxwood bushes in a row should be at least 30 cm.
Young boxwood plantings respond well to watering and spraying the bushes on the leaves.
Caring for boxwood: some subtleties of growing the crop
Planting and caring for the crop, done correctly, in compliance with agrotechnical requirements, will allow you to grow a healthy plant that will be able to decorate the garden for many years.
Crop care includes:
- Periodic watering.
- Loosening the soil.
- Timely removal of weeds.
- Creating shade over plants from the scorching sun in the summer months.
- Regular fertilizing, seasonal fertilization.
Diseased plants that have been attacked by pests should be treated with special preparations. To prevent the development of diseases, it is necessary to periodically inspect growing boxwood bushes.
Separately, it should be noted the rules for caring for boxwood when performing formative pruning of bushes and creating figured trees. It is allowed to carry out pruning in the warm season during the growth period of plants - from April to September. Trimming the bushes is repeated every 4 weeks, and it is necessary to fertilize and feed the developing plants.
Advice! In winter, during severe frosts, it is useful to cover wintering boxwood bushes with special films that conduct light.
Fertilizer and fertilizing of evergreen buxus
From April to August, boxwood needs regular feeding. Plants best absorb special fertilizers in liquid form, which are applied weekly at the roots, or in the form of foliar feeding on the leaves.
The plant itself is capable of signaling a lack of nitrogen: its leaves acquire a reddish color with a hint of bronze.
When planting boxwood bushes, granular organic and mineral fertilizers are added to the planting holes. In the fall, it is useful to feed boxwood with potassium fertilizers.
Boxwood propagation methods
If necessary, you can get young boxwood plants yourself. For this there is cutting method plants. Although the growth of the crop is not fast, the boxwood cuttings take root and form young plant during the warm period.
Cuttings at least 20-30 cm long should be prepared from healthy plants. It is best not to cut them off from the mother stem, but to break them off “with the heel”. The cuttings are planted in humus-rich soil in special boxes, which are placed in a greenhouse or greenhouse. It is not necessary to cover planted boxwood cuttings with film.
Seed method Culture propagation is rarely used, given its slow growth.
Diseases and pests: how to properly protect boxwood
The presence of alkaloids in buxus leaves greatly reduces the risk of plant damage by pests and the development of diseases on the bush. However, some pests are so persistent that they can harm the plant, despite its dense, glossy leaves.
- The leaf-mining boxwood fly (boxwood gall midge) causes great harm to the plant. Timely detection of the pest on the leaves of the plant and treatment with special preparations will save the plant from damage by these pests. The fly, remaining on the plant, multiplies rapidly; the larvae of this pest do not die even in winter. They get inside leaf blades, form swellings, overwinter, settling in spring on unaffected leaves.
- Boxwood felt is another crop pest that affects the crown of the plant, penetrating into the leaves and young shoots. The affected parts of the bush are cut out and burned.
- Spider mites infest the plant during the dry summer months. Systematic spraying of the plant leaves can prevent the appearance of the pest. Treatment – treatment with Fufanon, Actellik, Neoron, Fitoverm.
Advice! Spray plants more often in summer.
- Often shoots with dried tips appear on boxwood bushes. The disease is caused by the fungus Volutella buxi. Control measures include pruning and treatment with systemic fungicides.
- Boxwood also suffers from cancer, which develops on broken or old branches. Such shoots need to be cut back to healthy wood.
Proper pruning of boxwood: video
Boxwoods in landscape design: photos
Boxwood (other names: buxus, buscus, stone tree) is a beautiful evergreen shrub with very hard wood that can decorate any landscape.
This flexible plant easily tolerates frequent shaping haircuts. In landscape design, boxwood plantings are used to form living fences and borders, plant it as solo specimens on lawns, and “sculpt” green sculptural compositions—topiaries. It is used to form various volumetric geometric figures– cubes, pyramids, balls, create intricate labyrinths.
Buxus grows so slowly that from cutting to cutting it perfectly retains the shape and density of the crown. Over the course of a year, it grows only 5-6 cm. It is believed that under favorable conditions, a boxwood plant can live up to 600 years. The slow growth and highly decorative nature of the crown have made it an indispensable element of interior design. Many amateur flower growers have long placed this cheerful tree in their apartments.
In nature, boxwood grows, depending on the species, from 2 to 14 meters in height. It occurs in tree and shrub forms. In the wild, it can be found in the southern part of the African continent, central America, southern Europe, anterior Asia, Oceania and Japan.
We will talk about varieties, botanical features, planting and caring for boxwood below.
Boxwood varieties
The plant has approximately 30 species and is classified as poisonous. At the same time, boxwood also has medicinal antibacterial properties. It contains phytoncides that kill many pathogenic bacteria. Boxwood flowers are small, inconspicuous, and have no decorative value. The fruit is a hard, three-lobed capsule containing small black seeds.
If you have small children in the house, then, given the toxicity of boxwood, it is better for you to refrain from planting it in your apartment or on your property.
For decorative landscaping Mostly evergreen boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is used. Based on it, several variegated varieties have been bred, alternating green leaves with white and shades of yellow. It should, however, be noted that the higher decorative nature of these plants reduced their winter hardiness.
Different types of buxus differ significantly in height, growth rate, and crown color. Therefore, in landscape design, varieties for planting are selected taking into account their purpose:
- For low heights and borders, the slow-growing varieties 'Blauer Heinz' and 'Suffruticosa' are ideal. Border plants are planted in a row at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other.
- For small garden forms, as well as container plants, use single plantings of varieties, for example, “Green Gem” or “Suffruticosa”.
- For large green sculptures, it is better to use group plantings, 2-5 plants each tall varieties. Ordinary evergreen boxwood is best suited for this purpose.
Other varieties of buxus are less common, but, nevertheless, are also successfully used in ornamental gardening and landscape design. The further north the growing zone is located, the more winter-hardy varieties should be used for planting in open ground. Today the most winter-hardy varieties are considered:
- Buxus Sempervirens;
- Handsworthiensis;
- Blauer Heinz;
- Herrenhausen
- Rotundifolia
It should also be mentioned that boxwood is perfect plant for creating bonsai. Small leaves and slow growth allow you to create real miniature masterpieces in appropriate conditions. The variety “Buxus harlandii Hance” is considered the most suitable for bonsai. 
Soil for planting boxwood
To plant boxwood, the soil must be:
- loamy;
- with neutral acidity;
- nutritious;
- loose and breathable;
- well drained.
On such soils, boxwood plants grow strong, densely leafy, and shiny. Boxwood can also grow on poor soils, but then its crown growth will slow down, although it will still remain thick and dense.
In the area where boxwood grows, under no circumstances should water stagnate - the plant cannot tolerate this at all. Heavy and heavy ones are also not suitable for boxwoods. acidic soils. On the poor sandy soils under the boxwood it is necessary to add mature and slaked lime.
If site conditions do not allow you to plant boxwood in open ground, then you can successfully cultivate it in containers by digging them into in the right places into the ground. Plants can overwinter in these same containers. Young plants should also be kept in containers for the first 2-3 years before planting in a permanent place.
Planting boxwood
It is best to plant boxwood in open ground in the spring, with the onset of stable heat. This amount of time is necessary for plants to form a branched root system. The better the roots of the seedlings develop, the greater their chances of successfully surviving the first winter in open ground.
If you need to replant adult plants, this can be done throughout the warm season. IMPORTANT! Mature boxwood plants do not really like transplanting. Therefore, when digging a plant, you need to remove it with enough big lump soil to minimize root damage. It is best to let the boxwood grow on permanent place, replacing only upper layer the ground underneath. This will provide the plant with an influx of new nutrition.
To plant boxwood, you should prepare holes that are twice the volume of the root system of each specimen - in depth and width. Half the volume of the pit is filled with a substrate of coarse sand, leaf humus and turf soil (1: 4: 2). You can add to the substrate potash fertilizer, then pour plenty of water. After this, the seedling is carefully placed in the hole, straightening the roots, and the rest of the substrate is filled in, compacting it.
Boxwood care
Boxwood means “southerner.” It easily tolerates the summer sun. But the bright spring rays can destroy it.
Spring sunburn, as well as freezing of leaves as a result of frosty clear weather and cold winds can lead to the death of the above-ground part of the plant. To prevent this from happening, you should take care of the safety of your plantings in advance.
Depending on the shape and size of the boxwood plants, you should use various ways their insulation:
- Low border plantings can be covered for the winter with special nets, non-woven insulation or even burlap. At the same time, all covering devices must be securely strengthened so that the snow covering them does not break off the branches.
- Small single shapes can be covered plywood boxes with holes for ventilation.
- Plants on a trunk should be tied to strong supports and wrapped with coniferous spruce branches.
- Large garden forms can be wrapped in wide sheets of non-woven material in several layers.
With the onset of spring warmth, all shelters from boxwood plantings are immediately removed. If this is not done, the plants may die out.
Such protective measures have proven themselves well, but they are not always convenient. In this case, one thing comes to the rescue: useful property, which is successfully used when planting and caring for boxwood. This plant is shade-tolerant, sometimes even shade-loving. Therefore, boxwood plantings should be located under the cover of buildings, structures or big trees, thereby protecting them from scorching sun rays and icy winds. Boxwood feels best in carved partial shade, or in an area exposed to the sun for only one part of the day.
Seasonal care for boxwood consists of mulching with peat or humus around the plants, as well as regular watering. Since boxwood is moisture-loving, the soil around it should be kept slightly moist, preventing the top layer from drying out. Plants can also be misted from an aerator to moisten the foliage. In winter, watering should be reduced.
Caring for boxwood also includes preparing plants for wintering. At the end of autumn, before the onset of persistent cold weather, boxwood plantings should be watered abundantly to create a supply of moisture for the plants. After this, the soil around them must be mulched or pine needles. You should not use fallen leaves for mulching. Foliage that has rotted over the winter in the spring can disrupt air circulation in the soil and the roots of the bushus are in danger of rotting. This preparation of boxwood plantings for winter allows the roots to remain warm and the evergreen foliage to retain moisture.
If the plant is grown in a container culture, then at the age of 2-3 years it can already be left to winter outside by placing the pot with the plant not directly in the ground, but in a dug-in container big size filled with peat or sawdust. The soil under the plant is mulched, and the plant itself is covered.
You need to feed the buxus 3-4 times during the summer, using complex mineral or organic fertilizers.
An important point in caring for boxwood plants is cutting it. It is usually done 2-3 times a year, giving the regrown plantings the required shape.
Boxwood does not have many pests, since the plant contains poisonous alkaloids that repel insects from it. Boxwood can be damaged by:
- Monarthropalpus fly;
- spider mite;
- boxwood felt;
- fungal diseases.
In order to prevent damage when pruning boxwood plants, you need to carefully remove all dried and wilted branches, and also treat the plantings with insecticide solutions.
Boxwood propagation by seed method and vegetatively. The second method is preferable, since boxwood seeds do not have very high germination rates. Green cuttings, on the contrary, have very high degree rooting, and every haircut provides abundant material for propagation. In addition to rooting cuttings, you can use rooting of young cuttings.
Caring for boxwood at home
Buscus has long been grown as an indoor crop. However, caring for boxwood at home has its own characteristics, which have given it a reputation as a capricious plant.
The window sill for boxwood should be chosen eastern or western, or generally placed next to the window on a separate stand. If the boxwood plant is to live on a south-facing window, then it is necessary to provide shading from the midday sun.
To prevent your pet from dropping its leaves, it is important to strictly follow the watering and moistening regime.
Under no circumstances should water accumulate in the pan - this can easily cause rotting of the root system of the box.
The plant should be watered a little every day and also sprayed from the aerator. IN autumn-winter period Watering is reduced to a minimum. Boxwood should overwinter at a temperature of 6-10˚ C. You can place it between window frames in apartments with old layout. In the presence of modern plastic windows A boxwood plant for wintering can be placed on the floor near the glazed balcony door.
Boxwood can only be replanted by transshipment. Since it grows extremely slowly, it is recommended to replant it once every 2-3 years. You can trim indoor buxus all year round.
If you are growing a bonsai, you should remember that a boxwood specimen does not need to be replanted. If the roots are damaged, the plant may simply lose its leaves.
If these not-so-complicated rules for caring for boxwood at home are followed, then this plant will delight you with its inexhaustible energy and beauty for many years.
Caring for boxwoods - video
Boxwood (buscus) - several dozen species of evergreen shrubs, distinguished by the presence large quantity shoots with rather dense dark green shiny leaves. Decorative boxwood is widely used in landscape design to create borders, hedges, and curtains. Considering that the plant tolerates pruning well, boxwood bushes are used to create geometric shapes and complex plot compositions.
Growing boxwood at home
Boxwood is often grown as a houseplant. Thanks to its small leaves and rather slow growth, boxwood is popular among gardeners who are interested in bonsai - growing dwarf trees. The Garland species is best suited for creating boxwood bonsai, as it lends itself to any forming method: pruning, cutting, changing shape using wire frames.
Indoor boxwood: care
When grown at home, the following types of boxwood are popular: boxwood, bolearic and small-leaved, which perfectly adapt to the small space of flowerpots. As an indoor plant, boxwood is capricious: it reacts to improper care by dropping its leaves.
When organizing boxwood care at home, you should adhere to the following requirements:
- the place where the plant is kept should be well lit, but boxwood does not tolerate direct rays of the sun;
- Moderate temperatures are favorable for indoor plants; in winter, boxwood needs coolness (temperature +6…+10 degrees);
- in the warm season, abundant watering and daily spraying with water are recommended room temperature. In the autumn-winter period, the amount of watering is reduced, since the roots do not tolerate waterlogging;
- in spring and summer the plant needs regular feeding(once every 10 – 12 days). It is advisable to alternate the application of organic and mineral fertilizers. Complexes designed for azaleas are suitable for feeding;
- pruning of indoor boxwood can be carried out throughout the year as needed;
- Boxwood is replanted annually. The new container should not be too spacious, as the plant will be stunted in growth.
Attention! Boxwood bonsai does not need to be replanted, as the formed shoots may be damaged.
Boxwood: reproduction
The ornamental plant is propagated by seeds and cuttings, but cuttings are most often used. A thick drainage layer is made in the pot, a soil mixture is prepared from leaf soil (2 parts), coniferous soil (1 part), coarse sand (1 part). In August - September, lignified cuttings 7–9 cm long with two internodes are cut. Cuttings take a very long time to root; soil heating and phytohormones are used to speed up the process.
Boxwood: diseases
As already noted, the loss decorative qualities caused by improper care indoor plant. Excessive watering in winter causes rotting of the root system; dry air, irregular spraying in the heat - curling and drying of foliage; too much warm temperature indoor air in winter - dropping leaves. A gall midge or scale insect can settle on a weakened plant. To destroy pests experienced flower growers It is recommended to prune diseased shoots and treat boxwood with fungicides, and subsequently adjust care.
Boxwood is very useful to keep indoors, since the representative of the myrtaceae secretes phytoncides that neutralize harmful bacteria. In this regard, the microclimate in the room where the plant is located improves.