Buxus Clipping

Hi all,

Can you tell me when the best time to clip Box is ? By time, i dont mean the month, i know that but i mean to give a newly planted hedge its first trim.

Do i do it when they have reached the required height or trim now to help it bush out ?

Your thoughts ?

G

 

According to tradition, not before Epsom Derby (so early June)!

 

You havnt read my post properly sussexgardner

 

Correct - I didn't!

I planted a small hedge several years ago and started trimming them when they got to the right height I wanted. But I also planted them quite close as I'm impatient and wanted a hedge sooner rather than later.

 

Lovely cheers

 

If your plants are a lot smaller than the eventual shape you want then I would "pinch the tips out" once each year (yeah, you got it!, on Derby Day ) to make sure it keeps bushing out. This will, unfortunately, also slow it down a bit.

If it has the shape you want, and is thick enough, then no need to do that ... but if you are trying to grow, say, a Ball you will need to "help" it grow outwards, rather than just upwards

In-extremis you could also "wire" it to force some branches wider so it gets the "shape" sooner.

 

They are 8-9 inches at the moment Kristan. Ideally i would like them to grow to around 24 inches high. Shall i pinch next year or leave be until the reach the height. Ideally, i would like them a bit thicker though.

G

 

They'll get thicker as they grow, I reckon its only if you need more "width" than they naturally form that you need to pinch them out. its tricky ... they only grow a few inches a year, so any pinching out is going to slow them down ... but make for a thicker final plant.

If you reckon width is not a problem I would just let them grow - until you reckon that they aren't making enough width, or they get to the right height.