Content
- Boxwood is bare inside - you can do that against it
- Regular pruning counteracts blushing
- Cut out old boxwood
- Bald heart as an indication of illness or pests
- Tips
The boxwood blanks in places where no light comes
Boxwood is bare inside - you can do that against it
The evergreen boxwood looks most beautiful when it grows densely branched and develops a lush green foliage. However, if the shrub is neglected for years, it becomes frosted from the inside and does not look as dense and compact anymore. With a regular pruning you can prevent this.
Regular pruning counteracts blushing
Basically, the frosted interior in an otherwise compact and green boxwood is absolutely normal, after all, there is little or no light here - the result is that no foliage is formed. In that case, you do not have to do anything except maintain the books well and cut them back regularly. Without this annual pruning - which can even be done several times a year in the form of shrubs - the book goes out of date and becomes bald from the outside over time. The plant is no longer compact, but falls apart optically. Cutting season is between April and September.
Cut out old boxwood
It is best to cut a chalked, broom-like book back into the lignified area, which should be done before the spring sprouts if possible. Do not be afraid: Buchs tolerates such a radical pruning very well, but after that he does not look very attractive for a while afterwards. But be patient, the plant will definitely be revitalized and will shine in new beauty. Depending on the depth of cut, however, this can take two to three years, because the new release from the old wood is only hesitant.
Bald heart as an indication of illness or pests
In some cases, however, not the lack of cut care is the cause of the bald interior, but a fungal disease or even the dreaded Buchsbaumzünsler whose caterpillars are preferably located inside the plants. In any case, it is advisable to scan Buchs regularly for the descendants of the small butterfly and remove them if necessary. The boxwood growlers overwintering in a protective web inside the bush hatch from temperatures of about ten degrees Celsius, which is why you should look for them in mid-March if the weather permits.
Tips
Always work with a sharp and well-disinfected tool, and clippings from diseased or infested box trees should always be disposed of with household waste.