Droopy Boxwood

[Foxboro]

In the beginning of June, I bought a little boxwood from the big box store. Small pot, less than a gallon. I trimmed it up a bit and cleaned off browned leaves. I cut a few small branches here and there for a basic park tree shape. The tree didn't do much for a while but stayed nice and bright green. It seemed fine. I began fertilizing it with all my other plants and about mid/late July it began backbudding and growing new shoots from the pruned tips. It actually filled out quite well in a short period of time. Here we are going on late August in Florida. Very hot and humid. A couple of days ago I noticed that the new foliage is starting get kinda wavy and the new shoots are drooping as if were wilting. Almost looks like the foliage is "closing" up. Folding in toward the stem. The foliage is still nice and bright green aside from the remaining older foliage that is a little darker but neither have turned brown or anything. I've since moved to to a shady spot. Could the heat be too much for the new foliage? By pruning, then fertilizing, did I trigger new growth at a bad time?

 

[Foxboro]

 

[sorce]

I only see that if I broke a branch.

Could be too dry if you got a soil problem.

Never seen too hot or too much sun do more than yellow band the tips. Rather harmless.

Looks detached, if it's not, maybe scale?

Sorce

 

[just.wing.it]

Maybe too wet???...
One of my little ilex crenatas looked like that, and went belly up....I think I over worked it....too much trimming in same year as major root work.

 

[Foxboro]

It seems as if it's drying up but not sure. It's still in its growers pot from the store. I didn't repot or anything. Took a better look this morning and the whole thing is getting droopy now. It may be a gonner.

 

[Foxboro]

It seemed to take the pruning well until now. As stated before it even backbudded and filled out. It seemed quite happy, then all the sudden....... lol

 

[twisted trees]

Probably a root problem. How's the soil?

 

[Foxboro]

Probably a root problem. How's the soil?

It's still in the soil they grew it in. It's compost in nature, kinda chunky, not thick or muddy. When I water, after a few seconds I can see it drain out of the bottom. Wondering if the sun is heating the pot and subsequently the soil too much. I've heard this can be an issue.

 

[Foxboro]

I only see that if I broke a branch.

Could be too dry if you got a soil problem.

Never seen too hot or too much sun do more than yellow band the tips. Rather harmless.

Looks detached, if it's not, maybe scale?

Sorce

Still attached, it's like that all over now.

 

[sorce]

Still attached

See attached....



No Worries!

Next !

Sorce

 

[Foxboro]

See attached....

View attachment 157683

No Worries!

Next !

Sorce

Well I'll send it up to the bonsai gods as a sacrifice. Plus it frees up space on my table for me to kill something else.....

I'd still like to figure out what the culprit is though, I like boxwoods and hope to be more successful with them in the future.

 

[Foxboro]

See attached....

View attachment 157683

No Worries!

Next !

Sorce

.

Well I went out to have a last look at the boxwood today before I gave up and I noticed that it's not all dead! When I first cleaned it up I wired a couple main branches down just a bit. I noticed a few branches that were still quite healthy, then realized the dead ones were all the ones that were wired down at their base. So, the culprit.....wire!

Now, I thought maybe the wire was wound too tight and was choking it out, but that didn't make sense because the they were all just fine for months. I know boxwoods are soft and dense so I cut it all off to see if it were cutting into the wood. It was not. There was a slight color difference where it was but not deep grooves from the wire.

So, can wire heat up too much and cause problems? I used aluminum wire. It's pretty bright, kinda shiny. Any sort of chemical reasons it could have killed them? Could the fertilizer cause a reaction in the aluminum?

 

[j evans]

Happy Birthday!

 

[sorce]

Pics?

Sorce

 

[Foxboro]

I don't have any before I cut the wire off but here's what it looks like today.

 

[Foxboro]

Pics?

Sorce

^^^^^^

Meant to quote you..... lol

 

[sorce]

^^^^^^

Meant to quote you..... lol

The only thing I'm seeing is a rather uniform size of the dead branches,

Which would indicate to me, only that size branch had a problem with the wire, probly due to their similar stage of lignification (hardening off), which may have made them more prone to failure.

I don't think you lost much...

No. Not at all.

I'd say you have a better start now!

Grow grow grow!

Sorce

 

[rockm]

Looks like you've lost one of the primary branches. From the look of the foliage, I'd say you've got a root rot issue. Possibly from too much, or too little, water. Both produce the same results on top growth. Boxwood don't like 'wet feet.' Have you lifted the tree a bit out of the pot to see what the soil looks like under the top inch or so?