How to caring for Buxus shaped plants
Buxus plants trained into shapes such as balls and cones, they do need some special care. They can get a disease called box blight but this mainly seems to be on plants that are not cared for. The Box blight is a fungal disease that builds up on old foliage and starts to show itself as a black mold-like substance on the stems.
It’s best to feed your buxus with some liquid tomato feed from March to the end of October twice a month – liquid tomato feed is high in potash and creates a hard grow not easily infected by fungal diseases. Then shaking the plants to remove dry dead leaves is recommended as well as in the summer watering the heads with a jet of water to again remove any dead leaves and stop the build-up of dead leaves inside the ball which supports fungal growth.
Finally with our Buxus balls or other shapes on dry days during the winter twice a year, we reach inside the ball and apply a light dressing of yellow sulphur this helps stop the spread of any fungus – it’s worth testing a small area on a pant with the sulphur before you treat all the plants just to make sure you have no side effects i.e burning etc
Tips on caring for shaped buxus or box plants
1. Water your buxus regularly. The amount of water required will depend on the season, with more water needed in the summer and less in the winter. Aim to water your buxus deeply at least once a week.
2. Fertilize your buxus twice a year. Use a balanced fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 10-10-10 and apply it in the spring and fall.
3. Prune your buxus to maintain its shape. Prune after new growth appears in the spring. Remove dead or damaged branches and thin out the plant.
4. Monitor for pests and diseases. Buxus are susceptible to pests such as aphids, scale insects, and mites. If you notice any of these pests, treat them with an appropriate insecticide.
5. Mulch your buxus. Mulching helps retain moisture and control weeds. Use an organic mulch such as bark or woodchips.
