Boxwood repotting

[sorce]

BJ is reliably consistent and clean.

That's what she said.

Sorce

 

[PaulH]

If you remove all the foliage from a branch you will have deadwood

Not true at all. I have collected hundreds of boxwoods from old hedges and cut back to trunk and major branching with no foliage and they always bud back like crazy.

 

[sorce]

Not true at all. I have collected hundreds of boxwoods from old hedges and cut back to trunk and major branching with no foliage and they always bud back like crazy.

Do you have a "California Long" season?

I only ask because I've only heard this from California. Not that I'm out searching for the info .....but....

I can see a long season boxwood knowing it has time to put out more growth.
Where a short season box may abandon it because it's a better, life allowing path.

Is this true even if higher leaves are left?
Or must the whole tree be balded?

Sorce

 

[PaulH]

Is this true even if higher leaves are left?
Or must the whole tree be balded?

Good observation. If I leave foliage growth tips the auxins will prevent budding.

 

[sorce]

Good observation. If I leave foliage growth tips the auxins will prevent budding.

So do you think it's true that, well, for lack of a better term, folks think they die back because they lack the balls to bald em all the way?

From what boxwood tells me....
It would rather be balded so it knows to backbud, rather than keep life to one outreaching tip.

All or nothing type deal.

Sorce

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Not true at all. I have collected hundreds of boxwoods from old hedges and cut back to trunk and major branching with no foliage and they always bud back like crazy.

Maybe the species you have. The ones we do dont

 

[rockm]

Not true at all. I have collected hundreds of boxwoods from old hedges and cut back to trunk and major branching with no foliage and they always bud back like crazy.

This have been my experience also. Boxwood is extremely common around here. collecting it is easy. I've also cut all foliage off of English, American and Japanese boxwood a lot. I've not lost any trees. It is not an ideal thing to do, but it's not a deal killer for the tree.

Also I am relentless with root reduction too. I use very free-draining soil, 70/30 or 80/20 inorganic/organic soils. Boxwood like water, but don't like constant "wet feet"...I also bareroot all my boxwood at every repotting. Done that for years, no issues.

 

[PaulH]

Maybe the species you have. The ones we do dont

I'm just curious. Is this something you've been taught or actually tried?

 

[Captain.Bonsai]

(before I learned about using inorganic substrate).

Side note to this thought: Organics are not bad, I actually like having a certain amount organic material in my substrate - mainly for nutrient retention. Again this will be your choice based on your environment, watering/fertilizing schedule; but I wouldn't rule organics out completely if you're still figuring all of this out.

 

[kale]

This have been my experience also. Boxwood is extremely common around here. collecting it is easy. I've also cut all foliage off of English, American and Japanese boxwood a lot. I've not lost any trees. It is not an ideal thing to do, but it's not a deal killer for the tree.

Also I am relentless with root reduction too. I use very free-draining soil, 70/30 or 80/20 inorganic/organic soils. Boxwood like water, but don't like constant "wet feet"...I also bareroot all my boxwood at every repotting. Done that for years, no issues.

Good to know thanks! What time of year? I’ve been hearing the typical spring time or mid summer particularly for boxwoods works well.

 

[sorce]

mid summer

That's been good for here.
Severe repots.
Near the full moon.

Sorce

 

[rockm]

Good to know thanks! What time of year? I’ve been hearing the typical spring time or mid summer particularly for boxwoods works well.

typically they're the last to get repotted, mid-Aprilish. Can be most anytime before new buds open in April/May, though. Probably could work in summer too, just too hot to think about doing it. given a choice, I'd go with late spring.