Buxus plants are perfect for hedges, topiary, and containers. They’re also ideal for entryways, where they can evoke formality and structure.

They are slow-growing, produce small, dense foliage and thrive when trimmed. They’re gross feeders and need regular fertilisation.

Watering

Buxus plants need to be watered regularly so they don’t become wilted. This is especially important during the hot summer season when they can easily become dehydrated. Soak the soil twice a day to ensure it remains moist and promotes growth.

You can even mulch your Buxus to help retain moisture and suppress weeds. Fertilize your Buxus in spring and autumn with PLANThealth Buxus Feed to strengthen their roots, improve disease resistance, and increase vigour.

Box hedges require partial shade and protection from high winds (they don’t fare well in full sun or windy conditions). In summer, water your Buxus regularly to keep the soil moist.

Fertilizing

Buxus plants respond well to nitrogen-based fertilizers, which can be applied in regular intervals during the growing season. A balanced fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K) is ideal.

A granular slow-release fertilizer that lasts for a full 12 months is also recommended for maintaining healthy and strong buxus hedges. This type of fertilizer is easier on the plant’s roots and less likely to burn them.

When applying a granular fertilizer, be sure to place it near the shrub’s drip line and cover the root zones with organic mulch like pine straw to prevent burning. This helps increase nutrient uptake to the stems and leaves of the plant, encouraging green growth.

Fertilising your box hedge will keep it lush, healthy and deep green all year round! Use TOPBUXUS(r) GROW, which has been clinically designed to boost growth in seedlings and young plants, as well as for mature Buxus. It targets nutrient deficiencies specific to all varieties of buxus.

Pruning

Buxus are a great plant for maintaining neat and tidy hedges. Depending on the shape, you can prune your hedge up to four times per year.

When pruning your buxus, you should wear gloves and eye protection to prevent nicks or cuts. It is also important to sanitise your tools before moving to another plant.

Pruning a buxus is a skill that requires practice to get it right. Ideally, you should use the shears in a level position to avoid making uneven cuts and distorting the hedge’s appearance.

Traditionally, buxus are cut twice a year. First in June after the first growth reaches a certain height and again in September/October to get the shrub ready for winter.

Disease Prevention

Disease prevention is essential to the overall health of your buxus plants. This involves reducing and eliminating risk factors that increase the risk of disease onset or progression, and practicing lifestyle changes that minimize the probability of developing certain chronic diseases.

Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is susceptible to fungal disease known as Boxwood Blight, which is caused by two genetic types of fungi: Cylindrocladium buxicola and Volutella buxi. The fungi attack the leaves and stems of the plant, causing them to become brown, fall off, or die.

The spores of the fungus spread easily from infected plants to healthy ones through air, soil and other sources. Therefore, it is vital to isolate and contain new shipments of boxwood for at least 30 days.

Using best practice disease prevention techniques and resistant cultivars, your landscape can continue to thrive after an infection like Boxwood Blight. To help prevent re-infection, monitor your plants regularly for signs of the disease and treat them immediately when symptoms appear.