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Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
http://weetrees.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19235		 Page 1 of 3
Author:  Keith Hansell [ 17 Aug 2021, 21:29 ]
Post subject:  Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
Although I have successfully grown box hedging in my garden for many years I seem to be struggling with Box/Buxus bonsai. Unlike my hedging they don't seem to sprout and grow away the same. I put this down to being grown in pots and not in the ground. Last year I took one out of its pot and transferred it to a larger garden pot

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=15707

I know that they are hungry feeders so I have been feeding it well. The photo below is after a trim and the removal of the apex, which I didnt like, but it hasn't filled out well.

ImageIMG_20210817_145421 by Keith Hansell, on Flickr

This is one that I am definitely going to get rid of. My intention was to try and get the foliage to join and create something from there.


ImageIMG_20210817_145944 by Keith Hansell, on Flickr
Author:  Gary Jones [ 18 Aug 2021, 11:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
Agreed. I have one small buxus. Mine puts out foliage OK but it's in a small pot, so it's just maintenance trimming on my part. I think they are quite slow to grow and form woody tissue. Possibly the bulk of the development should be done in the ground or large pot. Others may know better.
Author:  johnbaz [ 19 Aug 2021, 00:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
Hi

I have four Box, Three were part of a hedge!, I collected six or seven that had been dug up and put in black bin liners- For around eight or ten weeks! :shock:

One perished recently, The rest I gave away (Apart from those three I kept!)

This is the other, Bought it from a mate at the Bonsai Bootsale at Donny..

Image

I find them a pain to work one with very very stiff branches, I also have to leave them for ages before any growth appears, They seem like pines and suddenly there's new foliage after weeks of nothing!! ::OMG:


John :201thumbup:
Author:  Keith Hansell [ 19 Aug 2021, 13:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
That's nice trunk texture on your tree John, but I agree with you both that they are not the best of trees to work with. Like you Gary, I tend to feel that the bulk of the growth should be done in the ground or a larger pot. Although I suppose that could also be said for a number of other trees.

I would be tempted to keep that Box in that black pot for sometime, or possibly a larger one.

I scrubbed a part of my box hedge out a few months ago and a couple were left in the ground and chopped to ground level. Both have put on a lot of new growth. Ok I know that when a plant thinks its about to die it often puts out new growth.
Author:  Brendan [ 23 Aug 2021, 12:13 ]
Post subject:  Re: Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
Box do develop healthy foliage in pots. I have two that have done well in my care.

My research is usually Harry H and Graham Potter.

Potter says "Buxus sempervirens is a U.K native. Perfectly suited to Bonsai cultivation box are slow growing compact dense evergreen trees that require a minimum of attention in order to look good all year round. Fully frost hardy in the U.K. Tolerates shade well. There are two main types of Buxus commonly available. In bonsai circles these are referred to as Northern or Southern Box. Whilst the Northern box has tiny leaves and finer twigging it is unbearably slow growing. The southern type has larger leaves and is very fast growing. "


Based on that I think mine are the Southern variety.

This one was kept on my bench getting pretty good sun and certainly a few hours of direct sun every day.




2015:
Image20150728_193108 by BrendanR2012, on Flickr

And today:

Image2021-08-23_12-03-45 by BrendanR2012, on Flickr



I found it was easy to get this one to back-bud and it put on plenty of foliage so that, over 6 years, it has become a quality little tree.
Author:  Brendan [ 23 Aug 2021, 12:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
The other one is more likely the Northern variety.

Image2021-08-23_12-24-28 by BrendanR2012, on Flickr

I had two of these, and the one died. Both were nursery stock.

This one has survived and has spent about 5 years (maybe more) slowly building up its health on a very shaded bench. Not repotted it at all in 5 years. It grows in pure cat litter, save for some of the original soil still in amongst the old roots. Finally repotted it 2 weeks ago. Fair amount of roots, but hardly what I was expecting.

This is less vigorous and slow growing and I expect it is similar to your struggling box.

I recommend a shady spot and just leave it alone save for turning it every few weeks for about 3 seasons. Feed along with your other trees.

If that doesn't help you can safely say you tried your best.
Author:  Keith Hansell [ 24 Aug 2021, 16:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
All my Box are nursery stock so 10-1 they will all be the northern type. the one that I have put into the large plastic pot was originally about four feet tall and shaped as a cone. The centre had died and the tree/bonsai was an off shoot. I took a look at the two box I had cut down to ground level in the border, ready for scrubbing out, and they have put on at least six inches of growth in almost two months. Given that Box have fine shallow roots I think it is best to develop them in the ground then lift for styling.

I have given the one in the plastic pot a good feed again as they always say Box are hungry feeders. Its also to the side of the summerhouse so hopefully it will pick up in the shade. The two in the shallow pot are definitely going to go.
Author:  NickB [ 09 Oct 2021, 12:15 ]
Post subject:  Re: Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
This is an interesting thread. I have just thrown out my 2 small Boxes after they were infested by Box caterpillar. Pretty mush decimated the leaves within a couple of weeks. A YouTube search reveals many videos where gardens have been affected.
The other problem they can have is Box blight, which a fungus.

As above, slow growing and a pain to bend the branches. Some of the hardest wood to chop aswell.

Cotoneasters seem to be much easier.
Author:  Gary Jones [ 16 Oct 2021, 13:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
I've got a few box growing in the garden for possible future bonsai use. Half were decimated by what I assume was box caterpillar but luckily they had the strength to put out some new leaves and are now in the slow process of recovery.
Author:  Keith Hansell [ 18 Oct 2021, 15:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: Thinking of giving Buxus the boot
I have had a couple of plants in the box hedging that have been affected by Box Blight. I have reduced the length of my box hedge this year and thankfully they were in the section that was scrubbed. The two box plants in the shallow pot are now in the ground and will be shaped as box balls.
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