How to grow boxwood

Special to The Oregonian By Special to The Oregonian The Oregonian
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on February 20, 2009 at 5:24 AM, updated August 05, 2010 at 6:19 PM

A.G. "Kim" Kimberley of Boxwood Garden is hesitant to call himself an expert on boxwood, but he concedes, ``Nobody probably thinks about it as much as we do.''

Here are his tips on growing boxwood:

The best time to prune boxwood is between Halloween and Thanksgiving. It won't hurt to prune it at other times, but spring and summer pruning can encourage too much growth and lead to a shaggy plant. Mid-fall pruning forces new buds that result in an even flush of growth in spring.

Boxwood frames a traditional English garden.

Fertilize once a year, near the end of February. According to Kimberley, whatever you have stored in a garage will work. But if you're buying fertilizer specifically for boxwood, select one that is generally balanced but a little heavier on the nitrogen (14-8-10).

If your boxwood has died in the center, cut the branches to just above green wood. This will let in light and air and encourage new growth. Shearing also makes boxwood grow denser.

Boxwood has a tendency to sag and lose shape after a heavy snow. A light dusting of powder won't hurt, but when the snow melts and falls into the center, it can refreeze and weigh down the branches. So brush off snow before it can melt.

Boxwood that is kept narrower at top and wider at the base will shed snow more easily. This shaping also allows light to fall evenly on the shrub and encourages dense growth.

Here's a tip of my own. Don't shear boxwood a week before a garden event. The cut leaves will turn brown and give your hedge or topiary a shabby look. Instead, prune early enough so the leaves have time to recover, or the day before an event so the leaves don't have time to turn brown.

-- Dulcy Mahar
