Winter is a difficult time of the year for most plants and for gardeners as well. Boxwoods maintain their foliage throughout the year as they are evergreen plants. Consequently, this can cause several potential damaging situations. Big O Tree has listed some of these damaging situations and how to best handle them.
First is desiccation, which is the loss of water through the leaves from the low humidity in the air and low soil moisture. Your Boxwoods will show signs of this damage through bronzed or yellow outer leaves. The plant will recover from this in the spring and there is no recommended treatment other than pruning off the dead limbs in the spring.
The second condition is dry air and sun exposure. This also causes a change in the color of the leaves but does not cause significant damage. Once again, leave the plants alone in the winter and prune any dead limbs come spring. A related condition occurs when Boxwoods are pruned the year before in late summer into the fall. When pruning this time of year, new growth is stimulated which will not winter harden before freezing temperatures occur. This new growth will be killed, leaving light yellow leaves. You can prune these dead leaves in the spring or leave them to drop off on their own.
A third issue is freeze damage. This occurs when the sap in the trunk freezes causing tissue death and splitting of the bark. The damage is usually seen in the spring when larger limbs die back. Again, pruning is the only remedy.
Finally, snow and ice often cause considerable damage to Boxwoods as the leaves catch and quickly accumulate with snow. This will cause drooping of the limbs and can lead to limb breakage. It is best to use a broom or broom handle to gently knock the snow off the limbs. This will relieve the limbs of the weight, preventing breakage.
How to Care for Your Boxwoods
When the weather allows or there is a nice day in which you want to relieve some “cabin fever” winter is a great time of year to “pluck” or thin your Boxwood. You can do this by using hand pruners or snapping the limbs using your fingers. The idea is to thin out the outer canopy allowing more sunlight and air to penetrate the lower canopy encouraging interior growth. If done on a regular basis this process will keep your Boxwood open and healthy and reduce the risk of some of the winter damage.
Big O Tree and Lawn Service is available to assess your Boxwood plants and determine the best plan of action to maintain their health and appearance. Give us a call today!