Boxwood need light in winter?

[JonW]

cool idea with bulkheads. i have roofed breezeway and garage options but i like the idea of having some trees in bulkhead, or for those without other options. id imagine it gets colder than my garage would get, but maybe not from heat from the house. interesting

I've been doing it for about 5 winters since we moved in and haven't had an issue. I don't have a place to heel-in my trees. I added a small fan to move the air and avoid the risk of fungus, which I've never had but have heard that can be a problem in spaces where the air is still. I put a thermometer in there that tracks the highest and lowest temp / humidity and it never went over 45, never went under freezing, which is perfect. I can actually do fall repotting, which, according to some sources such as Brent Walston's articles on Evergreen Gardenworks, is the best time to repot if you can provide these types of temperatures: the roots grow in and the plant is ready to go in the Spring. I haven't done it long enough or with enough trees to feel certain it is better than spring repotting, but it is nice to know I can do some work in fall so I don't have to do everything in spring. I also mostly do fall pruning on my deciduous trees because they are in development and removing the auxin in the fall allows all winter for the hormones to "sink" at new adventitious buds all over the plant, rather than just the ones closest to the cut point (which is more likely to occur with spring/summer pruning). I did a fall pruning on a lonicera nitida last year, and it grew all winter under the storm doors - I'll probably avoid fall pruning for evergreen broadleaf trees as they don't have as clear cut a dormant period (although maybe that was a fluke?).

 

[hinmo24t]

I've been doing it for about 5 winters since we moved in and haven't had an issue. I don't have a place to heel-in my trees. I added a small fan to move the air and avoid the risk of fungus, which I've never had but have heard that can be a problem in spaces where the air is still. I put a thermometer in there that tracks the highest and lowest temp / humidity and it never went over 45, never went under freezing, which is perfect. I can actually do fall repotting, which, according to some sources such as Brent Walston's articles on Evergreen Gardenworks, is the best time to repot if you can provide these types of temperatures: the roots grow in and the plant is ready to go in the Spring. I haven't done it long enough or with enough trees to feel certain it is better than spring repotting, but it is nice to know I can do some work in fall so I don't have to do everything in spring. I also mostly do fall pruning on my deciduous trees because they are in development and removing the auxin in the fall allows all winter for the hormones to "sink" at new adventitious buds all over the plant, rather than just the ones closest to the cut point (which is more likely to occur with spring/summer pruning). I did a fall pruning on a lonicera nitida last year, and it grew all winter under the storm doors - I'll probably avoid fall pruning for evergreen broadleaf trees as they don't have as clear cut a dormant period (although maybe that was a fluke?).

very interesting, if it isnt broke dont fix it, and cool about the fall work/repotting.
ill prob set something up in the garage again (always 10 degrees more than outside, has ceiling fan, and i work out there a lot on the cars and tinkering in winter with kerosene heater, so its nice to have the trees in view) but that is great testimony for people without garage

great idea with getting the air moving in there, i could see it being very still in there otherwise.

 

[JonW]

very interesting, if it isnt broke dont fix it, and cool about the fall work/repotting.
ill prob set something up in the garage again (always 10 degrees more than outside, has ceiling fan, and i work out there a lot on the cars and tinkering in winter with kerosene heater, so its nice to have the trees in view) but that is great testimony for people without garage

great idea with getting the air moving in there, i could see it being very still in there otherwise.

Yeah, I get to see them from the comfort of my basement when I water. I have a detached garage, but it'd be a pain to get in there and water. I could make space on shelves, but it is a tight old garage. We live in a Urban-feeling suburb right outside of Pittsburgh. I also worry about someone leaving the garage door open and losing less-hardy plants.

 

[rockm]

I have a nice collection of tropicals, but only a handful of cold hardy plants. I keep the cold hardy ones under my storm doors - it maintains dormancy, but protects against frost/freezing.

I'm thinking of expanding my hold-hardy plants (in part because I'm out of space to overwinter more tropicals!), but I'm still learning about this. I'm interested in boxwood, particularly Kingsville or Harlandii, which I know are both probably harder in my region than English. I have a lead on a nice Kingsville - would it be a risky investment?

What I've read about Kingsville (and Harlandii for the most part) are that they are less cold hardy than English and need winter protection. However, I also read they are semi-dormant, not fully dormant. Does this mean they still need sunlight? If so, storing it under my storm doors is out of the question. I know they can survive by a dimly lit window if it is around 50-degrees, but my house is warmer than that.

I have a few English boxwood in my yard that I might yard-a-dori in the future. Thanks for your help!

I have been overwintering this Kingsville outside under only a mulch covering for going on ten years. I've overwintered some former hedging boxwoods outside under mulch for going on 25 years. They don't need much shelter...coddling invites problems...In my experience, Kingsville isn't less cold hardy that the "regular" microphylla (Japanese boxwood) species. It was originally noticed in a landscape nursery in Maryland...Harlandii is a subtropical and isn't all that cold hardy.

And yeah, boxwood need light in the winter. Put them in the house and they will decline, get all kinds of bugs and are weakened...which is why I'd skip Harlandii---unless you have a decent indoor lighting set up.

I would wonder why you've settled on those two species in Pennsylvania. Boxwood are all over the middle Atlantic states, from American and English to Japanese and Korean species that are pretty much bulletproof in the mid-Atlantic. They're also readily dug up. I've several that began as hedging from 1940 and 50's era homes in Arlington.

 

[JonW]

I have been overwintering this Kingsville outside under only a mulch covering for going on ten years. In my experience, Kingsville isn't less cold hardy that the "regular" microphylla (Japanese boxwood) species. It was originally noticed in a landscape nursery in Maryland...Harlandii is a subtropical and isn't all that cold hardy.

And yeah, boxwood need light in the winter. Put them in the house and they will decline, get all kinds of bugs and die...which is why I'd skip Harlandii---unless you have a decent indoor lighting set up.

I would wonder why you've settled on those two species in Pennsylvania. Boxwood are all over the middle Atlantic states, from American and English to Japanese and Korean species that are pretty much bulletproof in the mid-Atlantic. They're also readily dug up. I've several that began as hedging from 1940 and 50's era homes in Arlington.

Looks great! Mine didn't skip a beat under the storm doors - it was cold enough to be "dormant," and didn't seem to need light, but I don't think it would have done well in my living room. I know someone just North of me who overwinters in mulch, though I think he might have lost one or two recently.

I like Kingsville for its smaller leaves - why do you think that isn't a good choice if it is still equally cold hardy? I like the bark on Harlandii, but I haven't come across anyone in my climate who says "yeah, good choice!" so I am not considering that species any longer.

 

[rockm]

Looks great! Mine didn't skip a beat under the storm doors - it was cold enough to be "dormant," and didn't seem to need light, but I don't think it would have done well in my living room. I know someone just North of me who overwinters in mulch, though I think he might have lost one or two recently.

I like Kingsville for its smaller leaves - why do you think that isn't a good choice if it is still equally cold hardy? I like the bark on Harlandii, but I haven't come across anyone in my climate who says "yeah, good choice!" so I am not considering that species any longer.

FWIW, most "kingsville" out there really aren't. There are a few boxwood varieties that have small leaves that get sold as Kingsville. Their leaves aren't as small and growth isn't as dense as Kingsville. The one I have was sourced locally in Maryland from a well-known grower in the region who bought a truckload of the Kingsville cultivar from its source Homan nurseries and planted them out. I bought it from her at the Potomac Bonsai Association show a while back. She only had a dozen or so left...

The primary quibble I have with most Kingsville and small leaved cultivars being sold in the bonsai market is they almost always look spindly and insubstantial. That's because they're slow growing and slow to bulk up. Additionally, they also grow extremely dense. No internodes between leaves. They have to be meticulously trimmed and thinned to keep them looking good.

I prefer whatever boxwood I can dig out of an old hedge or landscape. Since American and English boxwoods have been used for going on 300 years in the Middle Atlantic states, there are some spectacular "yamadori" to be had in old house, farm and plantation sites. All you have to do is ask the landowner.

I always post these photos of 300 year-old "dwarf" boxwood that lived at Gunston plantation (George Mason's home on the Potomac about four miles from me. I had been trying for years to get permission to dig one up, since they were slated to be bulldozed and replaced with younger boxwood that would make the home look like it did back in 1770. I wasn't successful and they were all scraped up and sent to the burn pile. Someone is making freaking birdhouses out of their skeletons now and selling them as "historic"

Sorry to vent, but the message is, use yamadori boxwood if you can. You'll be paying a premium for Kingsville or any sort and what you get can be marginal...Don't coddle them. They're tough plants

 

[JonW]

FWIW, most "kingsville" out there really aren't. There are a few boxwood varieties that have small leaves that get sold as Kingsville. Their leaves aren't as small and growth isn't as dense as Kingsville. The one I have was sourced locally in Maryland from a well-known grower in the region who bought a truckload of the Kingsville cultivar from its source Homan nurseries and planted them out. I bought it from her at the Potomac Bonsai Association show a while back. She only had a dozen or so left...

The primary quibble I have with most Kingsville and small leaved cultivars being sold in the bonsai market is they almost always look spindly and insubstantial. That's because they're slow growing and slow to bulk up. Additionally, they also grow extremely dense. No internodes between leaves. They have to be meticulously trimmed and thinned to keep them looking good.

I prefer whatever boxwood I can dig out of an old hedge or landscape. Since American and English boxwoods have been used for going on 300 years in the Middle Atlantic states, there are some spectacular "yamadori" to be had in old house, farm and plantation sites. All you have to do is ask the landowner.

I always post these photos of 300 year-old "dwarf" boxwood that lived at Gunston plantation (George Mason's home on the Potomac about four miles from me. I had been trying for years to get permission to dig one up, since they were slated to be bulldozed and replaced with younger boxwood that would make the home look like it did back in 1770. I wasn't successful and they were all scraped up and sent to the burn pile. Someone is making freaking birdhouses out of their skeletons now and selling them as "historic"

Sorry to vent, but the message is, use yamadori boxwood if you can. You'll be paying a premium for Kingsville or any sort and what you get can be marginal...Don't coddle them. They're tough plants

Beautiful plants and sad story. I'm happy with the price I paid and it's growth, certainly easier than digging, especially since I have a 1 year old! It does have very tight growth.

 

[rockm]

Beautiful plants and sad story. I'm happy with the price I paid and it's growth, certainly easier than digging, especially since I have a 1 year old! It does have very tight growth.

You be surprised how easily you can dig up a decent boxwood. They are very shallow-rooted and can take drastic root reduction...

 

[JonW]

You be surprised how easily you can dig up a decent boxwood. They are very shallow-rooted and can take drastic root reduction...

I've seen a couple "you dig" posted on my neighborhood Facebook page. I unfortunately missed an azalea with an 8 inch trunk next door when my wife's cousin bought the house

 

[ScottNYC]

Mine has been responding really well to work. It was a neagari and I ground layered it this spring. It grew strong enough that I did a structural prune and removed all the trifurcations. After that, it bounced back strongly. It put out some growth that reverted to normal boxwood, which I'm going to let grow for a couple seasons I think to add girth.

 

[JonW]

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Nice trees! Any info on them?