I Had a Kingsville Boxwood

[j evans]

Well I hate even to share this but I need some guidance. A small Kingsville that I have had for 20+ years. I always stick it in the ground behind the garage for the winter. It has always been fine. This year did the usual. A dry winter with little rain & snow. With everything going on the sprinklers were a bit late coming on. Now it is discolored and crispy. Don't know if it dried up, froze or? Can't find any "good" green leaves. My question is, do I just leave as is watering to keep moist or should I start cutting off leaves that look really bad? Thanks for the help.

 

[j evans]

Not a thought to be had?

 

[Shibui]

I never consider any of my trees really dead until there's been no leaves or shoots fro a full growing season. Keep looking after it and hope it sprouts new shoots.
It probably won't make much difference if you leave the dead leaves or cut them off. If it is alive new shoots will emerge regardless but it could be a good chance to give it a haircut now, especially if any branches have grown a bit long.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Got any pics? I had a kingsville that ended up looking really gnarly this winter but seems to be waking up fine and putting on new growth now.

 

[sorce]

Is it standard boxwood "hated winter" yellow.

Or something worse?

Sorce

 

[rockm]

Pic would help enormously. Kingsville leaves can bronze in colder weather--although not always. Bronzed foiliage isn't dead. Brown crispy foliage is and COULD be the result of the tree drying out over the winter and getting hit with freezes--dry roots in freezing weather are more easily killed...water insulates them a bit.

 

[sorce]

Dry opaque leaves says roots.

Soft transluscenting leaves means top freeze, but I only ever seen that with late confused growth.

Sorce

 

[j evans]

Here it is, not looking any better today.

 

[Mikecheck123]

I've seen those come back from way worse. Yours looks almost healthy. I think it'll be ok.

 

[Dzhokar]

Hate to tell you this..... but that looks healthy.
Don't over baby it. I've killed boxwoods with too much tender lovin'.

 

[j evans]

It has been tough looking after winter before but not where every leaf is crispy and breaks off. Guess we'll see.

 

[larlamonde]

Well I hate even to share this but I need some guidance. A small Kingsville that I have had for 20+ years. I always stick it in the ground behind the garage for the winter. It has always been fine. This year did the usual. A dry winter with little rain & snow. With everything going on the sprinklers were a bit late coming on. Now it is discolored and crispy. Don't know if it dried up, froze or? Can't find any "good" green leaves. My question is, do I just leave as is watering to keep moist or should I start cutting off leaves that look really bad? Thanks for the help.

Sounds like its gone, probably from lack of water. I feel your pain I love Kingsville's. Just keep an eye on it in case it comes back to life.

 

[j evans]

Lack of brains is more like it.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Keep it under intensive care and observation leading into warmer months. Mine looked dead as a doorknob this winter and is only just now starting to green back up. I did have to remove some burned branch tips.

At it's worst:


As it looked at repotting time a few weeks back:



Today it is full of new little shoots. I'm a bit further south than you so I have hope yours will wake up!

 

[abugoogoo]

Here it is, not looking any better today.View attachment 297582View attachment 297583

I'd say it's still very much alive. I've had 3 Kingsvilles for a couple years now, and I can tell you that mine are moody as hell. They get bent outta shape over any change in environment and start threatening to die. Give it a teaspoon too much or too little water, gets too hot, gets too cold and they start throwing yellow leaves all over the place. They always seem to recover after throwing a tantrum and then get back to where they wanna be. I moved them in a spot now where they get some nice early morning sunshine and then it's indirect/shaded for the rest of the day. The seem to be super happy with that at the moment. Don't give up on it yet.

 

[sorce]

Them pictures ain't the best but they don't look like @cheap_walmart_art healthy bronze.

Doesn't look that bad though.

I might choose to go in and find healthy buds to cut back to.
Settle it's confusion about what it wants to put energy into.

Seems at least some thing interior will get shaded and unhealthy of not anyway.

Hit it!

Sorce

 

[Forsoothe!]

Leave it be, feed it some and give it all summer in the ground. If you have a better exposure, move it there. (In the ground where the root temperature is better than ambient air)

I just saw a @sorce post including, "Stick em in the ground where the dog can't pee on em! Lol" If your tree has been a routine stop for a neighborhood dog...

 

[j evans]

Yes those pictures look worse so there may be some hope. The crispy leaves are more worrisome I think. Thanks for the help.

 

[sorce]

as been a routine stop for a neighborhood do

That is actually pretty feasible, seeing as how this winter was like a cold spring!

I guess though, that warm winter can have things growing when they ain't supposed to.

Do these smell like cat pee like English box?

Sorce

 

[rockm]

Here it is, not looking any better today.View attachment 297582View attachment 297583

Looks like it dried out, but not enough Afternoon shade, don't let it dry out again, keep it moist BUT NOT WET OR SOGGY