Content
- Recognize and treat frost damage to the boxwood
- Frost causes dry damage to the book
- Treat boxwood properly with drought damage
- Properly boxing boxwood in a pot
- Tips
The boxwood does not have a problem with frost but with water shortage
Recognize and treat frost damage to the boxwood
Originally the common boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) comes from the Mediterranean, but has been native to Central Europe for centuries and is also hardy. Only in very frosty winters can frost damage occur if the plant can not absorb enough moisture due to the frozen soil.
Frost causes dry damage to the book
If the boxwood suddenly develops yellow or brown leaves in spring, frost damage may be behind it. In this case, the plant could not absorb enough water during a prolonged period of frost - where the soil might have frozen - and dried up in the sequence. In contrast to some other plants Buchs also needs water during the winter months. Typically, however, the leaf damage does not show until after the actual dry period, and possibly the roots are also attacked.
Treat boxwood properly with drought damage
Once the leaves are discolored they will not turn green again. This also applies if the plant recovers thanks to proper care. For this reason, a pruning is useful in which the dried shoots are removed. This action stimulates the boxwood to bud out, and the branching becomes denser and more compact the more you cut. Even a deep cut into the old wood does not hurt, but can even save a book that is flattening from the inside. Another useful measure is the supply of the attacked boxwood with a good long-term fertilizer. An organic mixture of compost, horn shavings and rock flour is best suited for this purpose.
Properly boxing boxwood in a pot
Boxwood cultivated in pots is much more sensitive to frost than planted specimens. Therefore, you should take appropriate measures to protect it from cold temperatures:
Tips
Buchs should not be cut back after mid-August / early September, as it stimulates the training of new shoots. However, these would not mature in time for the winter, so that frostbite threaten.