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A Light Buzz Every Year

6 years ago

For slow sloooow growing boxwoods like Green Velvet, would it be good practice to give them a very light shear with the Hedge Shears. I'm talking a inch or less ?

I did a light shear on the tops of the these in spring, and what I observed was new growth, shoots, --- but the observation of new growth/shoots was primarily on the top where I give them a light buzz.

I'm thinking that next spring, I give them a buzz all around, with the intent that it promotes these bushes to get a wee bit bigger ~faster~ in the the grand scheme of things.

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Comments (3)

Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
If your aim is to get them to grow faster and bigger. Don't trim. Regular watering would encourage more growth.

If your aim is to create more density, then shear regularly.
Embothrium
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Yes: removal of existing growth slows overall size increase. It really is true with shrubs as with other things that if you take part of it away you then have less afterward. This is because faster growing shoots made in response to pruning cuts do not immediately restore the total plant volume that would have been present if the pruning had not occurred. Let alone does the speed of their growth result in a bigger top than would have been present at the same time otherwise.

Once the previous size is restored then size increase resumes. What the cutting back produced was an interruption, a delay in a larger size being achieved. And not an acceleration.

The main reason for giving your box a top and sides every year would be to produce a formal effect. With each plant intended to be made thereby to appear as an architectural element.
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a1an
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Thank you Embothrium. That was extremely well written even in laymens terms. The new shoots that emerged on the tops was literally 8 inches higher than the rest of the shrub. Hence, I thought that maybe just giving them a shave in the spring would help the overall growth. Thanks for the wiki and the clarity

Edwards Scissorhands sighs just a little bit. I don't get to use my ARS shears alot, but it's a pure joy compared to my old Corona's

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