As a hedge, evergreen bed border or imaginative topiary: Box can be used in many ways in the garden. To ensure that the tree maintains its shape and ensures dense growth, you should regularly use secateurs. However, pruning does not make sense at every time of the year.
Is autumn a suitable time for pruning boxwood?
A boxwood should not be cut in autumn, as this encourages new growth, shoots that are vulnerable to frost and promotes fungal diseases. It is better to cut between January and March or from April to mid-September at the most.
The optimal time for pruning
In general, the rule is that Buchs should be cut between April and September, with the last date being mid-September at the most. Pruning is not advisable in autumn, for several reasons:
- Pruning encourages the plant to sprout new growth, which, however, is not a good idea shortly before winter.
- The shoots that are now sprouting no longer ripen in time, so there is a risk of frost damage.
- Pruning in autumn promotes fungal diseases.
- If you prune heavily in autumn, there is a risk that the box will no longer sprout in the spring.
Why pruning early in the year is better
Instead, you should work on your Buchs once in the spring and a second time in early summer. It used to be said that the plants should not be cut back before the end of April for frost protection reasons. However, it is now known that early pruning - before budding - is an effective protection against fungal diseases and pests such as the box tree borer. Both fungal spores and pest eggs overwinter in the boxwood and appear when it gets warm enough around the beginning of March. Therefore, according to newer guidelines, pruning between January and March is recommended, provided there is no frost or rain at that time.
Cutting time depends on weather conditions
In any case, the weather plays a big role in determining the right time to cut: To reduce the risk of a fungal infection, you should never cut boxwood when it is raining. Even a day with bright sunshine is not suitable for such a project, as sun damage can occur. Instead, choose a time when the sky is overcast and there is no rain.
Tip
Use hedge and garden shears that are as sharp and disinfected as possible when cutting the boxwood (€56.00 at Amazon). Blunt or electric scissors, on the other hand, are not very suitable because they crush and injure the shoots and leaves. This in turn acts like an invitation to all kinds of fungal pathogens.
