Planting boxwood and caring for an evergreen shrub

Boxwood is an unpretentious evergreen shrub with bright, succulent leaves that attracts looks, ennobles our gardens, local areas. This plant is widespread in almost all countries of Europe, Asia, North America. Of its many species, we have only one - a box of evergreen, growing as a low tree (up to 10 m) or, more often, as a bush. Boxwood planting and care for it are not particularly difficult, but they have their own nuances, which we draw your attention to.

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This plant perfectly withstand half-shade or even a shadow, well tolerates the summer heat. The boxwood is frost-hardy and can withstand a temperature drop of -20-22 ° C. Winter protection, shelter in the south for boxwood is not necessary. He is well tolerated by unfavorable conditions of the city - smoke, high content of gases. Easily withstands the landing, transplantation (whatever age the bushes would not be), as well as a haircut, long retaining the shape given to it.

To date, boxwood evergreen is widely used by landscape designers. With certain skills from its crown all kinds of geometric shapes are created, silhouettes of animals. The creation of hedges, the artistic cutting of green bushes is called topiary art.

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Boxwood - which species can be grown on a site or cottage?

Boxwood is not a whimsical plant, but on loose, fertilizer-rich soil it will feel better, which will affect the density of the crown, its size. It is distinguished by high shadowiness, hygrophilous, but also relatively drought-resistant.

For different decorative ideas, appropriate types of shrubs are used. For example, slowly growing, frost-resistant species (Bleuer Heinz, Suffruticosa) are optimal for low curbs. A lush hedge of boxwood is possible due to the cultivar Rotundifolia, Buxus sempervirens or Handsworthiensis. To create balls or small figures, the Green Gem grade is suitable.

On some varieties it is worthwhile to focus attention, as they are most often used for the design of cottage areas:

1. Buxus Sempervirens is the most common type of boxwood we have. He is well experienced in the winter, well suited to a haircut, the formation of figures.
2. Buxus Suffruticosa is frost-resistant, optimally suited for fences of medium size, characterized by vertical growth of the crown, an egg-shaped leaf form.
3. Blauer Heinz refers to squat, slowly growing species. The direction of shoot growth is up, the leaves have a bluish tinge. This box is used for the formation of "rugs low curbs, figured ornaments. It is relatively new, more frost-resistant than Suffruticosa.
4. Buxus Arborescens is a shade-tolerant tall bush with a dense crown, fleshy ovoid leaves. Has a deep dark green leaf color with a lighter transition downwards. Not capricious to the composition of the soil, but it feels better on calcareous, not very dry drained soils.
5. Buxus Winter Gem microphylia - small-leaved shrub with a dense crown, refers to fast-growing varieties, it is well shaped. Optimal for topiary work, edging flowerbeds. Loves the sun and partial shade, fertile soil, systematic watering.
6. Buxus Faulkner microphylia - with growth gives a natural spherical shape of the crown, which is very convenient for the subsequent formation of balls. Also prefers sunny and semi-shady places, regular watering, fertile soil, saturated with microelements.
7. Buxus colchica is a Colchian box. It is a wild Caucasian variety, which is the most frost-hardy among its brethren. Has small fleshy leaves, differs very slow growth, it is brought in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

You can buy a box for planting in the appropriate Internet shops, specialized departments of supermarkets. For these purposes already sold seedlings, packed in agrofibre or special pots.

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How to propagate boxwood?

Reproduction of boxwood by cuttings is done by selecting young, but already lignified shoots, which easily take root. For this, the upper, normally formed part, 10 cm long, is used. Important is the calendar time cuttings. This should be done either early in the spring (February, March), when the shoot growth points are awakened, or closer to the autumn (August-September).

Before rooting cuttings are disinfected with a solution of manganese cherry color. It is desirable to use growth stimulants such as Kornevin (Heterauxin) or a new, very effective SILK preparation.

Rooting is carried out in boxes, on shelves of a greenhouse or open ground. When rooted, sand is usually used, which is poured onto a thicker layer of loose, fertile soil with a 5 cm layer.

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Irrigation is done regularly with a watering can. During the heat cuttings are watered at least 5 times per day, and at a temperature of less than 20 ° C, you can limit yourself to three watering.

At summer rooting, the shading of the nursery is necessary. Early-spring cuttings of boxwood allow getting seedlings suitable for planting in one year, and summer - only after two years.

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Boxwood - planting and care

Before planting the boxwood, the soil must be saturated with appropriate fertilizers. If you use fertile soil when planting the boxwood, they will grow faster, and if the soil is not rich in mineral compounds, useful fertilizing, then it is slower. The main requirement is a well drained soil.

When planting bushes, take into account the time for rooting the shrubbery - about 1 month. According to an ancient note, flowering plants are best planted in the fall (or vice versa). Spring is the time of flowering of this plant, so the boxwood transplantation in autumn will be more suitable. But if you want to postpone the planting time to early spring, nothing terrible will happen. Experienced gardeners argue that the spring adaptation of seedlings runs without problems.

How to transplant boxwood:

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1. Saplings abundantly watered on the eve of transplantation - this is necessary for the subsequent convenient extraction of plants from the pot.
2. At the bottom of the excavated hole (which should be twice deeper and wider than the root system of the bush), pearlite is poured, 3-4 cm in thickness. It will perform the role of drainage.
3. The seedling is carefully extracted from the pot, while its roots should not be bent. After that, the bush is placed in the prepared pit, the space around it is filled with earth mixed with perlite (:). Make sure that the barrel is pointing straight up.
4. The fovea is filled to the top, the soil is pressed slightly by hands, after which a plentiful watering of the plant follows.
5. Fill the sifted soil after irrigation and add a layer of perlite (2-3 cm) again on top - this completes the boxing.

The bushes require serious care during the changeable weather conditions in late autumn or winter. The alternation of frosts with thaws does not have the best effect on the plant, its roots, therefore it is necessary to take care of the boxwood in advance.

In the central strip of Russia 5-7 days before the onset of frost, bushes should be watered abundantly, and the ground under the bush covered with peat or needles (or finely chopped bark) of coniferous plants. To not ruin a plant, do not use foliage for mulching. If the winter is not very severe, then the leaves will begin to puff, thereby provoking the growth of pathogenic fungi.

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On the question: whether it is necessary to cover boxwood for the winter, the answer will be positive. With the onset of frost (not less than -10 ° C), these plants require warming. Spherical bushes are covered with wooden or plastic containers, which must necessarily have ventilation holes. Bushes of boxwood of another form are tied up, covered with dense material (for example, lutrasil, spunbond, spantex).

In the Kuban box is not harvested for the winter.

When heat comes, all concealed materials are removed in order to avoid prohibition and overheating. Snow should be removed to ensure access to the sun's rays to the soil.

April or May is the best time for pruning boxwood. Correction of the crown should be neat, as it should not be forgotten about the rather slow growth of this shrub.

The plant is first cropped a year after planting, when it becomes clear that its root system has gained strength, strengthened.

When the box is sheared, there is a peculiar stimulation of the growth of the lateral branches - this process also positively affects the density of the crown.

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Pests and diseases of boxwood

Care and planting boxwood - the crucial stages, but protecting the plant from pests, diseases is of great importance. With proper care, the risk of a problem can be minimized, but the most common dangers for evergreen shrubs should be mentioned.

Boxster diseases and their pathogens:

1. Boxwood gall midges (detachment Diptera, genus Monarthropalpus) is manifested by the appearance of yellow convex spots on top of the leaf, with nodular blisters from below. Inside the gall are nesting larvae of orange color, with damage the leaf withers, dies. To prevent the occurrence of this pest, the bushes are treated with a chemical solution (for example, Fufanon, Carbofos-500, Bitoxybacellin). Regular pruning in part helps to stop the activity of the parasite.
2. Mushroom Volutella buxi provokes necrosis shoots, as indicated by pink or orange spots (sporangia). Infected shoots must be removed, as treatment with fungicides does not cope with the problem.
3. The fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola causes the loss (flushing) of the leaves, which begins to attack young shoots, foliage. The disease spreads quite quickly, requires radical measures - circumcision of affected branches. Treatment with fungicides works, if carried out, as a preventive measure. Variety Suffriticosa is most susceptible to this scourge.
4. Boxwood leaf flea bends the leaf, covers it with a sticky coating, and also gives a whitish color. The damaged foliage is removed, and sprinkling the crown with mineral oil (M-30 or M-50) helps to fight this pest.
5. Boxwood fire - a night butterfly, the caterpillars of which entangle the leaves, shoots with loose cobwebs, and also provoke the rapid drying of parts of the bush (or the whole bush at once). The presence of the pest is signaled by a change in the color of the foliage, but if you do not take measures, the fire can hit vast areas where the box grows. Pyrethroids show a good result in the fight against fire. Preparations "Fastak "Fury "Decis "Carbophos "BI-58 "Karate" are effective, but they must be used carefully, given the close presence of people or pets. At the initial stage of lesions, you can use the drug "Dimilin" - it is safe for humans, domestic animals. Timely detection of box fire will help to defeat it.

Photo of boxwood, afflicted with box-type fire-box (St. Armavir, Krasnodar Region - 2016):

Many such people wish to have such an attractive ornamental plant on the backyard or dacha, but not everyone succeeds. The reason for this - ignorance of biology and methods of growing boxwood. Carrying out all the rules of the boxwood and care for it, as well as timely protection from pests - a pledge of beauty and individuality of your site.

Below is another video. The author called it "dreamy and classic boxwood gardens." Maybe watching will give you an idea of ​​how best to decorate your garden boxwood.

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Additions were made on August 25, 2016.