DoDo buy your boxwood from a reputable grower. Boxwood Garden is known and respected for the superb quality of their plants. The plants are grown in the Willamette Valley where the soil is fertile, sandy loam.
Do remove the burlap from your boxwood. It will speed up the develop of new roots, however if it is a loose soil ball leave burlap on.
Do water your boxwood plants well when received and after. Because they are grown in the earth they will be balled and burlapped or containerized. It is imperative that the root ball is saturated with water. It takes time and development for boxwood hair like roots to grow outside the ball.
Do fertilize your boxwood until established. Use a balance fertilizer. 10.10.10 up to 14.14.14 Fall, October and Spring, early March. If planted in a container fertilize more frequently. More watering is required when plants are contained, use a liquid fertilizer supplement.
Do prune your boxwood if a certain shape or size is desired. Use sharpened manual shearers, however, if you have long high hedges you may want to invest in a gas or electric shearer. Plants may be pruned most times of the year excluding Winter. At Boxwood Garden we prune the week of June 1, new growth comes on by mid August covering up the unsightly cut leaves. True boxwood enthusiasts pluck their boxwood. Topiary may require more clipping
Do try to root your own boxwood cuttings. In November take cutting off tips of boxwood about 4” long place in a tray of dense soil or sand. Keep them in a warmer area, ideally a greenhouse and you may have the beginning of some little boxwood.
Don't
Don’t buy boxwood from a dirty nursery. Check out condition of boxwood. No curled scratched or marred leaves. Plants should be dark green, no yellow tips or scale marks on stems. Roots should be succulent white color.
Don’t suffocate your boxwood. Like all plants, boxwood needs air, light, water and nutrients.
Don’t have a male dog that lifts his leg higher that 18” around your boxwood. Multiple sprays of urine on a spot will eventually yellow the leaves in that area. Clip out and train dog to relieve himself on a tree trunk.
Don’t forget to water and fertilize your boxwood.
Don’t get herbicides on your boxwood leaves. It will probably survive, but it will set it back.
Don’t worry. Boxwood is very forgiving. It has many hair-like roots that supply water and nutrients to the plant.
Don’t let exhaust from gas shearers get next to your boxwood. May burn hole in plant at that point.
Don’t park a car or truck with side exhausts next to boxwood. It will burn a hole in your boxwood. At Boxwood Garden we have had personal experience with this multiple times.
