Pruning Overgrown Boxwood Shrubs

These shrubs are common landscaping plants in yards and parks. Boxwood like most shrubs needs a cleaning out of dead or twisted branches that can be harmful to the bush.

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Pruning overgrown boxwood shrubs

Buxus is the horticultural name for boxwood plants. Each year take out a third of the heaviest stems to start new growth developing. That said these handy evergreens do need occasional pruning.

Before shaping the shrub make sure you remove all of the dead. Instead prune neglected overgrown shrubs over three years. Managing large shrubs isn t done overnight.

For best results don t do. If your boxwood needs a serious rejuvenation and you are planning to prune it to the ground do it in late winter or early spring. Still it might be necessary in cases where your shrub has been severely damaged by disease windstorm or pest infestation.

Plants with compact growth habits lend themselves to this type of pruning and shaping. Even when chosen for a particular size or shape an errant branch or twig may need trimming. When you inherit an overgrown boxwood use sharp pruning tools sterilized with household antiseptic cleaner or a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water to avoid spreading disease or fungus.

How to trim overgrown boxwoods. This is because pruning then will spur new growth that won t harden off in time for winter and be killed by the cold. Buxus or the boxwood shrub is among the sturdiest of evergreen garden shrubs.

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