When do i trim boxwoods

Evergreen plants Have a question for the Gardener? Share This. Evergreen plants. What is the likelihood of successfully growing camellias in Kentucky? Ask the Gardener. It is important to choose the correct cultivar to avoid the need for excessive pruning. Before and during annual pruning, proper sanitation of necessary tools is important. As mentioned above, the best time to prune boxwood is in the late winter to early spring, before the plant breaks dormancy and begins flushing.

This is typically late February to mid-March in central Virginia. Also, Boxwood Blight tends to be much less active in cold temperatures.

This freshly pruned boxwood had its winter color pruned off and is ready for its spring flush! If you are looking for a more manicured look, some gardeners like to prune in late spring, after the spring flush to achieve a more formal shape. Mid-summer and early fall pruning stimulate late fall growth that may be burned by frost or early winter freezes.

Waiting until early winter might not be detrimental; however, it leaves pruning scars on the leaves until the spring flush is initiated. Cultivars that are more dwarf or have very tight habits benefit from annual thinning to open up the inside of the plant.

They're the result of a painstaking practice called "cloud pruning" performed with hand pruners. New growth is nipped back and then small branches are removed from the insides of the shrubs to create openings between layers of foliage. The end result looks a bit like a cumulus clouds. Opening up the bushes this way gives a natural look and increases penetration of sunlight and air to the centers. Healthier bushes ensue.

However, what if your boxwoods have gotten monstrous -- too big for hand pruners -- and you need to cut them back beyond the outside foliage so you can walk freely up the steps or see out of a window? This calls for drastic, but necessary, action.

Put away the hand pruners and shears. You need loppers. Pruning during their active growing season elicits a push of new growth. Plant reserves, redirected from recently pruned tips, rush to latent buds waiting for fuel. That activity stimulates new branching, fresh foliage and a dense canopy. Even in mild-winter gardens, evergreen boxwood go through winter dormancy, followed by renewed spring growth. Proper pruning balances that growth cycle with unpredictable spring and fall weather common in Mediterranean climates.

If a general quick shaping is desired, trim anytime from late winter through summer. This is the best time to trim boxwoods. Limit extensive pruning to winter months, when boxwood is fully dormant. Late-fall pruning inhibits dormancy and reduces the plants' cold-hardiness.