Want to chop my boxwood

[Steve C]

Now that I'm starting to (or at least trying to :0 ) get over my fear of chopping to much on my trees, I have been thinking about doing some work to make my boxwood smaller again.

I've had this tree for about 4 yrs now and I originally made it a pretty tall tree because I do like having a taller tree or two in my collection, but now I think it might be time to bite the bullet and shorten this one up into something nicer.

I have a few concerns though, since it has twin trunks that start about 5" off the main trunk is it still okay to utilize those twin trunks even in a smaller height tree? And some of the lowest branches have most their leaves on the outer part of the branch. So I'm wondering will I have to keep "some" leaves on the lower branches or will it back bud well even without leaves? I'll post a pic with some nippers so you guys have an idea of the current height.

I'm open to any suggestions and help on this.

This is for size comparison...

This is what I am maybe thinking, a little taller than I want but I'm thinking about here just so there are still some leaves and shape to it maybe?

And here's a inner pic so you can see what I mean about the twin trunks and what I have to work with better.

 

[sorce]

That red line oughta sprout you some nice innards...
That you can go detail selecting later.

I'm in.

Sorce

 

[Steve C]

Do boxwoods back bud well? I'm just wondering if I will hopefully get some backbuds on them inner bare branches where it might lend itself to a 2nd chop a couple years down the road ?

 

[Soldano666]

Id do it. Personally I would have done it about a month ago, box are slow growers and I like to give then some extra time,for new growth but reckon it could still be done. Perhaps a little extra winter protection or a green house to extend the growing season once it starts getting colder at night.

 

[sorce]

Seems healthy enough.

That being the goal I would not simply hedge cut it...

But rather get in and cut each branch back to its first secondary branch.
So it has no choice But to backbud where you want it to.

Being that you will be relying on those new buds for design...
You might want to wait till next summer.
Fert it heavy till...
No problemo.

I lost a different whole typed out message...
So I went back to look at the old thread to see if it was the same...

I'm feeling the tallness a little more now.

I'm glad to see you diving into these no matter what!

You are a clever craftsman my friend!

Sorce

 

[Steve C]

Yeah I liked the tallness for a few years, had that whole "tree in a park" thing which was cool. Now after seeing trees at a show in person and such(you know, the show last weekend you wussed out on a 4hr drive for? lol) I'm just thinking a shorter height would look really nice given the trunk size. I'm in no hurry with this one, so think maybe waiting till next growing season would be best? I'd like to chop it soon as I can, but if it's better health wise to wait then I will. No real rush.

 

[sorce]

No real rush

Amen.

I still find this pic from last year most intriguing.

If everything above red is still slated for removal...

I would run some @Smoke prescribed "safety cuts" up there this year.

Find a place with 6inches or so bare wood...and cut back to it...see what it does.

Find a strong fork, and cut one off..see what It does.

This way you can do some work now AND get a feel for its reaction.

Bloody hell!
I love this tree Steve....
I sit blank thinking....seeing....
Wanting to be at that show with you and this tree...
Hey, maybe I'll drive @Walter Pall to Detroit in October and come visit!

Aggghhh!

In looking further into these new pics....
You got mad interior green to cut back to and stay safe.

If you cut each branch or low subtrunk back to its first or second bit of green...late spring early summer.
It will likely present you with enough inner growth to cut again next year.

It's gonna be ugly as sin! 2015.


Month agoish.


Today.

Hell ....this thing has never been as healthy as yours!
Big root problem this year with half the mass staying bone dry.

Sucks that we are in that....should I or shouldn't I, cutting period.....Cuz I really wanna see you attack this.

More pics?
More chat?

This is a wonderful piece to ponder!

Sorce

 

[Steve C]

Thanks Source, I do like the idea of doing some safety cuts this year, I had not thought of doing that. Might give that a go here in the next few days.

 

[michaelj]

Do boxwoods back bud well? I'm just wondering if I will hopefully get some backbuds on them inner bare branches where it might lend itself to a 2nd chop a couple years down the road ?

They back bud like crazy if they are healthy. They will often back bud all over if you chop severely while it is healthy and leave no foliage anywhere, but I'm told that, although this technique has worked for me many times, others have tried this and failed. Do not cut individual branches back to where there is no growth beyond where you want it to bud back. If you are pruning back a branch, leave a growing tip or you might lose the branch (in fact, you often will), or at least have it die back to the outermost foliage on that branch.

 

[just.wing.it]

I did a major cutback and significant root work to my Korean Boxwood in late winter....it didn't die, but it didn't get back as strongly as I would have liked.

 

[Steve C]

Well it's raining like crazy here today so not much else to do, so I went ahead and did the first cut back on it just now. Took Sources advice and just did a "safety cut back" for now since it's getting late in the summer. That way i can see how it does and where it back buds and then reassess how much more I want to chop it next spring once I see how it handles this over the winter. I'm thinking the next cut in the spring will be about 5" shorter but we;ll see at that point. Funny thing is I have been so hesitant to chop anything on this tall tree for 3 yrs till this point. And now that I have just done this first initial reduction, I actually already like it better than I do before. I'm thinking a few more years down the road with the right work/help and this could be a pretty nice little tree eventually.
.
.

 

[Saddler]

Here is one I have had a little over a year. I really went to town on the pruning. The only thing to watch out for is to make sure you leave a few leaves on the branch. I got a little to confident on a few other boxwoods I have and didn't leave any green and lost major branches. If the tree is healthy, you can cut it back to two leaves.

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/a-blue-bill-buxus-built-to-be-a-broom.25523/

 

[sorce]

, I actually already like it better than I do before

Wow! It comes thru in the pics!

Them three hesitant years are sure gonna have this budding crazy!

Sorce

 

[defra]

Nice reduction

I got a little boxwood round ball and pruned 80% off and after that it had long leggy branches ...

Cut it down to couple leaves per branch
And it buds back just fine even on the base of the trunk there are new shoots forming

If the branches are to big they are unbebdable keep in mind to wire while still green or just lignyfied

I am slowly reducing my boxwood from every woodem branch to be replaced by new shoots wich will be wireable and to be able to build a more compact tree.

Heres the topic on it if you like to visualize my text lol

https://bonsainut.com/threads/little-boxwood.27414/

Also same as sorce i have an experiment running on another boxwood pruned 80% foliage off and also over 60% roots repoted in summer( two weeks ago)
to see if it will take it

(My tought is it grows spring-mid summer takes a break (repot abuse time) and grows again till somewhere in fall and while actively growing the roots will be repaired and regrown)

Some say they grow slow but if cared for right they grow strong!

Boxwood also benefit from foliar feed
I tested it on mine i foliar fed one side of the tree for a while and that side grows stronger as the other and the foliage looked far more green at that side i didnt take pics unfortunaly

Hmm thats about all i know about boxwood lol could be my longest post ever

 

[sorce]

Some say they grow slow but if cared for right they grow strong!

Amen!

It seems they prefer more constant 2-3x/yr pruning.

Broadleaf evergreen....

Seeing as how I also call them the broadleaf Mugo!
Take Vance hose theory for example....

The higher you run that hose up against "gravity" before it divides, the less pressure you have to them shoots.

Refreshing them old leaves, and reducing the height of the manifold, seems to create more energy.

Summer Downtime repot sure!

Interesting.

Sorce

 

[defra]

This is one of the new shoots im gonna use as new branch

Its 15 cm long and the season is not even close to the end

As well you can see the green over the trunk

 

[sorce]

Nice Def!
FFR...is that one? For future reference...

You see that big old branch cut you got.?
Rather than cutting one of mine like that, I just razor cut it and removed the cambium so I can better cut it, and grind it down later.

Worked well!

Way cleaner way to define your lines, not smash other bark...

Not have to bust out a saw or giant lopper, or grinder straight away.

Sorce

 

[Steve C]

I like the direction you are going with that one round one you bought and pruned Defra. I've never heard of a foliar feed before, I usually do the liquid mixed in water or pellets on the soil. I see Amazon has some of the foliar feed though, I may give that a try and see how it does too.

 

[LanceMac10]

Brother Johnnys boxwood....




@WeeMac took this one!

 

[Steve C]

Been around 5-6 weeks since the reduction. With this extended hot summer it seems to be doing well for so late in the year. Been noticing lots of new growth on it just since reducing it back in mid August.