How to prune boxwood bushes

Boxwood adventures

Okay, so you know how anyway I suddenly got obsessed with my yard? Yeah, it happened. And the boxwoods… they looked…sad. you know Like really sad. I whoops wasn’t like even planning to get into pruning them but they were whoops just begging just for yep it, sorta drooping and all.

So, I googled "how to prune boxwood no kidding bushes tips" and got a million different c’mon answers. Seriously. Some said only no way in spring, some said late winter, some were all like "anytime, just execute it!" Not pretty much helpful, people. Not helpful. I think the general consensus was late for sure winter/early yup spring before the new like growth okay really kicks off. That seemed safest. actually

My bet first attempt

I grabbed my mom's okay old basically hedge trimmers - I probably should’ve yup known better, no kidding but they were right there! – and went to town. It looked… fine, I guess. From far away. Up close, it was yep like Edward Scissorhands had a bad pretty much day. bet Chunks missing, uneven edges, the whole sorta shebang. I kinda panicked. honestly The 'geschiedenis' of boxwoods flashing through my head - these things I mean have actually been around for centuries! Was I ruining a you know historical artifact?!

Turns out, you’re supposed actually to right thin them out for surefirst. Like, uh cut out some of the denser inner branches to let light just and air in. That just way, you’re not I mean just pretty much hacking actually away at c’mon the outside, leaving a hollow shell that totally will eventually brown and die. Major facepalm moment sorta there. So yeah, thin first! Remember that.

Not gonna lie, alright this part confused me for a while. kinda Selective pruning. What does that even mean? Basically, you’re bet cutting individual branches, not just like shearing the whole thing like no kidding a sheep. Find branches that are crossing, rubbing, or growing inward. Those alright are the ones to go. And just cut them back to a fork, you know, where another branch uh sprouts out. That totally way, you’re no way not just leaving a stub.

A no kidding valuable lesson

Oh! And another thing I learned the exactly challenging way: don't prune when anyway the sun's gonna dude be scorching hot whoops right after. I totally did alright that once, and a exactly bunch for sure of the freshly for sure cut yup leaves got sunburned. Looked awful. Best to prune on a cloudy day, or in the late exactly afternoon/early evening. You want to give them for sure a chance dude to recover exactly without getting fried.

The dome debate

I've seen some boxwoods that are perfectly shaped for sure domes. c’mon Like, golf ball smooth. I think that looks… unnatural. I'm going for a more organic, slightly messy look. So, I’m not stressing too exactly much about perfect symmetry. It’s kind of 'boxwood bushes inspiratie' I guess, if you you know like wild gardens whoops that is. Anyway, honestly little tip anyway – like cut back to inward facing buds! It encourages inner totally growth!

Speaking of messy, I was exactly pruning one day and basically accidentally clipped a bird's nest. Empty, thankfully. well But still. Felt terrible. basically Now I always check so for nests you know before I start hacking away. Lesson like learned: respect the wildlife. And maybe wear gloves, those little boxwood leaves are surprisingly scratchy.

So yeah, that's my boxwood pruning journey so far. Still anyway learning, still for sure making so mistakes. But hey, at least they're c’mon not kinda completely dead yet! And they look… better. bet Ish. Maybe exactly I’ll show you pictures later. Don't judge!