Boxwood is perfect for structuring a garden. Emblematic of French gardens, it has, for hundreds of years, been tamed and shaped by the hand of man. It is a classic and timeless shrub with evergreen and compact vegetation. It supports regular pruning perfectly, which is why it is the champion of topiary art. Whether it is placed in a low hedge to delimit certain parts of the garden or whether it adorns your lawn with great allure, thanks to animal, fanciful, geometric or plant sculptures, it is superb.
What material should you use to prune your boxwood?
To prune your boxwood, you must have the right tools, it is almost as important as the know-how. It is best to opt for a shears with a wooden handle. You can also choose a model with non-slip handles which will be lighter. The self-sharpening blades are very practical. As boxwood is very hard wood, wavy planks are particularly recommended. The hedge trimmer is not made for this tree, it does not offer a fairly neat and clean cut.
Think of sharpen your blades regularly so that the quality of the size is perfect. Their cleanliness is also an essential element. You can take a cloth soaked in methylated spirits with you to remove the sap that settles on it as the operation progresses.
For the finishing touches, it is preferable to bring traditional boxwood scissors.
Try to prune when the weather is dry. Properly disinfect your tools, this allows you not to spread fungal diseases on the boxwood. If the climate is humid, after pruning is complete, spray your tree with Bordeaux mixture.
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When should you prune your boxwood?
In general, the boxwood is pruned late spring, after flowering, but be aware that this shrub can be pruned almost all year round. You can also do it in autumn especially for boxwood pruned in topiary.
Our advice : do not prune them in hot weather or in frost.
- Training size: it is carried out for three years on still young subjects and in spring.
- Maintenance pruning: it is done between May and the end of September, the aim being to keep a harmonious shape.
- Rejuvenation pruning: it is done on elderly subjects, preferably in the spring.
The pruning period also varies depending on the nature of the boxwood.
For the boxwood on the edge:
If the boxwoods are mature, you will need to prune them February or March, before the start of growth.
If the boxwoods are recent, it is preferable to prune them during the growing period, in May or June and then, in August or September, to equalize everything.
For topiaries:
The pruning is done for the first time in May or June and then in September, when they developed.
It is best to prune them in the evening or to choose a rather cloudy weather, the leaves which are cut in half tend to turn yellow in the sun.
How to prune your boxwood?
You should know that boxwood is certainly one of the plants that best tolerate repeated and drastic pruning. Boxwood can take many different shapes and therefore the size may not necessarily be the same.
Training size:
During the first three years of the boxwood, this is the ideal period to give it the shape you want: ball, pyramid … For that, you have to carry out a training size. The growth of boxwood is very slow, so it takes about 5 years to be able to make a cone or a sphere on a young plant and ten years, if the shape is more complicated, animal for example.
- During the first year: you will prune the twigs at 5 or 10 cm from the ground to start creating the frame of your boxwood according to the shape you want to give it. It will then be necessary to select and keep a few carpenter branches.
- During the second year: you will cut only 5 cm on the longest branches and which are badly placed to correspond to the shape you want. This will allow the vegetation to develop for a denser appearance.
- During the third year: Now that you’ve got the silhouette you want, all that’s left to do is trim the ends so you don’t let the young shoots get in the way.
The maintenance size:
Once you’ve achieved the desired shape, pruning will just be about keeping that regular and balanced silhouette. You also take the opportunity to remove damaged branches or dead wood. The size is practiced in a different way depending on the shape:
- Remove any branches that grow at the risk of upsetting the shape of the boxwood.
- For hedges boxwood: take some string which will serve as a guide for a perfectly straight size. Slide the shears along the line and trim. You can also use squares and plumb bob.
- For boxwood balls: start from the base of your plant and slowly go up to the top.
- For boxwoods in other shapes: start from the bottom of the shrub and then go up gradually. To help you in this endeavor, do not hesitate to use a template.
The rejuvenation size:
Your boxwood is thinning or losing its shape, a rejuvenation pruning is essential!
It is then necessary to proceed in stages:
- Cut back the shrub to 40 cm from the ground with a lopper or a handsaw when the branches are of a large diameter.
- After this operation, place a very ripe compost at the foot of the boxwood.
- Scratch the soil and water, this facilitates the recovery.
The ball size:
To obtain beautiful boxwood cut into a ball, you will have to wait between 4 and 5 years. To prune it, you have to start at the top, then go down to the sides and prune by turning around your shrub.
Topiary pruning:
Boxwood very easily takes the shapes you want to give it, you can sculpt it without problem. It is necessary to put reinforcements for the more complex shapes to achieve. This will be screened and placed above the boxwood. You will then only have to cut the branches that protrude to get your shape. There are patterns, size guides, and jigs commercially available to help you with this endeavor.
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