Box hedge. Easy cultivation and shaping

Box hedge (Buxus) is an ideal plant for a hedge. It is a durable, dense bush with intense colour and does not collect dirt or dust much. Some people call it boxwood. It will grow pretty well in a shady area and in a regular soil. It is easy to grow and even total beginners can grow it. If you provide a slightly fertile and moist soil you will have a nice box hedge. However, too much moisture and very heavy soil may cause problems.

Where can you get box hedge?

The cheapest way to get your own box hedge is to propagate it from cuttings because you need a lot of plants to make a nice hedge to go alone your fence or border. You may buy grown plants or wait for little ones to get stronger and propagate later by cuttings. Box hedge is not expensive, but if you need many of them, it will add up course. The good news is that cuttings in moist soil or water release roots quickly.

Photo: Pixabay

When should you plant?

You can do so throughout the entire season and you can use pots. Seedlings are planted from March to September. If you have small cuttings, it is better to wait until the second half of May, when cold temperatures are gone. This will help cuttings adapt better and get stronger before the winter arrives.

How to plant

Dig a groove at equal distances. Make two rows. Correct spacing is important if you want to have a nice and dense hedge, but of course it depends on your preferences and how dense you want your hedge. If want a low hedge, up to 1.2 meters in height, get a box hedge with small leaves (Buxus microphylla). Maintain spacing between 10 and 12 cm. For a higher hedge get box hedge that remains green throughout the winter (Buxus sempervirens) and maintain spacing between 15 and 20 cm. You may think that the spacing is rather small but the plants are not very competitive and grow rather slowly. The closer they grow, the faster they will merge into a dense hedge.

Pruning

Box hedge tolerates pruning very well. You can prune it immediately after planting, and you can shorten it by up to two-thirds. This will speed up development and increase density. You can start the actual shaping about two to three years after planting. August is the ideal month for pruning and you should prune once a year to achieve density and to create the desired shape.

Source:

https://prima-receptar.cz/zimostraz-neboli-buxus-vam-vytvori-na-zahrade-dokonalou-zelenou-zed/

https://fajnyogrod.pl/porady/zywoplot-z-bukszpanu-sadzenie-rozstaw-pielegnacja-przycinanie/

Preview photo: Pixabay