Trimming Boxwood

Discussion in 'Woody Plants' started by scottk, Mar 29, 2007.

  1. scottk

    scottk Member

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    I've got some boxwoods that I transplanted into my front yard a few months ago. Recently I trimmed them back a tiny bit, just so that they were back into a circular shape. However, at the time, I didn't notice that they already had some new growth on them, so I inadvertently cut off some of that new growth.

    So, the pieces that I happened to not cut still have the new growths growing, but will the stems that I cut the new growth off of begin growing again? Thanks!
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Yes.
     
  3. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Box will even re-grow readily from stumps.
     
  4. levilyla

    levilyla Active Member

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    But very slowly. best to "pluck" them instead of trimming them back.
     
  5. PrairieGirl

    PrairieGirl Member

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    Yes Scott, boxwood are not like some evgs that must be dormant when they are trimmed, I think that is your real concern. You can snip them anytime, and they will regrow.
     
  6. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Tradition in Britain is that you should never trim a box until all risk of frost has finished in the spring. If you cut it, and then get a frost soon after, it is reported to cause dieback.
     
  7. levilyla

    levilyla Active Member

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    The Brits should know.
     
  8. PrairieGirl

    PrairieGirl Member

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    I stand corrected. The new growth is "extremely sensitive to winter injury," according to Dirr, the U.S. plantsman's bible; he has seen "tremendous winter damage that occurred when box was trimmed too late in season (August)."

    I believe I misunderstood the question anyway, I thought Scott was asking if it was possible that he cut his boxwood back too far so that it wouldn't regrow.
     
  9. scottk

    scottk Member

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    Sorry for the confusion everyone. I know that even though I cut off new growth, it will still start growing again at some point.

    The areas/stems that I happened to not cut have lots of new growth, and what I'm wondering is on the stems that I cut the new growth off of, will new growth begin again this very same year?
     
  10. levilyla

    levilyla Active Member

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    yes...it should
     

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