Big Boxwood Potting

Sn0W

Shohin
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This evening I managed to save 3 big Boxwoods from some guy who was extending his driveway. 2 have been chopped over a month ago and 1 is whole. 1 of the chopped was dug up last month and chucked on the piles of earth where he'd also dug his lawn up. The ends of the big branches are dead but I've scratched the base and the start of the thick branches and they're green inside so I'm hoping it'll bounce back. The other chopped one was dug up at the start of this month and chucked on the lawn, it has a huge clay chunk around the root ball and has started back budding already. The non chopped one was dug up last week and left on the concrete with little earth on the root ball. The ends of some of the leaves on the top and underneath have started to go yellow but again, I'm hoping this will bounce back once it's potted.

Conveniently, I have some pond baskets lying around I can put them in, my question is what would be the best substrate to use? I have a bit of this left over, but I'm worried that it may not be the best choice.

Also should I chop the unchopped one down or just leave it as is until spring?

Pictures to follow at some point tomorrow!
 

Rambles

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Not seeing them or how healthy they were in the first place, I'd say pot em and leave them alone. Boxwood are pretty tough, but they've been beaten up pretty good as it is.
 

M. Frary

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Your soil mix should be just fine.
I would cut the uncut one back but leave a leaf or two under the cuts.
 

Sn0W

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Here are the pictures as promised:
 

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Sn0W

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And here is the after:
 

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Sn0W

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Turns out I hugely underestimated how big they were so I don't actually have anything to put them in. I've left them soaking overnight and tomorrow I will build some boxes for the boxes!
 

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Mellow Mullet

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Just go to home Depot or Lowe's and get some totes, just make sure to drill plenty of holes in them. It is notI the best time to be collecting trees but boxwood are tough and the should pull through.
 

Sn0W

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Update on the Boxes. They're now Boxed (2 planks high to keep the dogs out before anyone asks), the 2 I was worried about are back budding already, I cut a lot of deadwood off of the smallest one, going to leave them all alone now until spring.
 

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Sn0W

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Update on these 3: 1 has exploded in growth, 1 has been okay and 1 not so much.
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Thinking these 2 are privet not box.

The one that didn't do so well is definitely a box. It really suffered in the heat but as it was in a box I couldn't move it. Today I pulled it up to replant it elsewhere. Despite the lack of top growth the roots have done quite well. I decided to cut it right back on top to how I should have done in the first place. Thinking I'll cut some of the higher roots off too tomorrow when I plant it up.
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Mellow Mullet

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Good job and nice growth, but none of them look like boxwood to me. The first two look like crepe myrtles to me and the next to last an killed or privet. I see that you are in the UK, though, and maybe they are different across the pond. Either way, the are nice material.
 

Kendo

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Good job and nice growth, but none of them look like boxwood to me. The first two look like crepe myrtles to me and the next to last an killed or privet. I see that you are in the UK, though, and maybe they are different across the pond. Either way, the are nice material.

1 Pcs looking like the Boxwood, but not for some bonsai. SOme other plant is also showing I think not Boxwood.
 

Cattwooduk

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Sweet find, I wish I'd had time to come with you when you told me about these ones last year! The last one may not have put on much more top growth but looks like a whole lot of nice new root growth, should go mad in the spring. The fact it's still green is a good sign at least.
 

Sn0W

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I decided to go all in on this one as I had to repot it earlier than I'd have liked. I cut the branches back properly, took a bunch of useless and dead stuff out the middle and cut off the roots that were too high from it being buried so deep. Let's see if this one makes it through the winter.20180918_183128.jpg
 

KiwiPlantGuy

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Hi Snow,
I thought I would say a few things here, even though you probably know this already.
I agree with @Mellow Mullet that the 2 first photos are Crape Myrtle, and the last looks like Buxus sempervirens (Box?).
Obviously there’s some believers here at Bnut that summer repotting can be done and I have seen threads which say that Conifers do well. My problem is that you have tried this Buxus now. Either good as will work well, or bad as it will put it behind for the next season or 2 ( my gut feel). Also you are getting loads of feeder roots to start the regrowth then you uplifted this. I realise you scored a great deal on the stumps :), but why repot?
Anyway, enough said. Still alive, and will need to be left alone (do nothing) for a couple of years. Strong growth will happen and I look forward to following this thread.
Sorry if I was a little blunt, as only my opinion etc.
Charles
 

Sn0W

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@KiwiPlantGuy I don't think the first ones are Crape Myrtle, no way they can survive being grown as a hedge here, what I've read is they're hardy in coastal and mild parts of the UK. The last is definitely box.

I did repot it in summer but there's only a week of summer left and the temps here have taken a drastic downturn and the rainfall has increased heavily. I've got hornbeams and spindle trees showing autumn colours for about 2 weeks already.

I had to repot the Box as I needed the over sized grow box it was in for one of the Lilacs I'd found. I think it'll survive but I don't expect it to flourish until the spring after next. I don't plan to do anything else to it until it regains its vigour, however long that takes.

Blunt is good, I appreciate all input.
 

KiwiPlantGuy

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Hi @Sn0W,
Ok, I have had a second look and given your comment re cold, my second attempt would be (agree with you now lol) Privet re first two photos (very vigorous, go you).
Charles
 

Sn0W

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I thought the box was a goner but it's just started budding. The two privets are growing well and have just started leafing out. They'll be ready for some work later this year. Needless to say I will be babying the boxwood this year.
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