When to dig Boxwood Yardadori

[Horsefeathers]

I have 4 large boxwoods that I am considering digging up / replacing in my landscape, and my mother-in-law has one that is very large that has to go now. I have no idea what the actual species of them are other than boxwoods. All of them are in good health after the summer. There is a fair amount of dead branches on them due to a really hard frost we got in late spring after things were coming out of dormancy (It was a boxwood slaughter in the neighborhood) The one with the brown foliage / frost damage is the one at my MILs that is coming out no matter what. I don't have a good photo of it's trunk, but it's much more upright than the ones in my yard.

Would I be in an appropriate season to go ahead and dig these? If I did dig them up how much of the foliage should I cut (if any at all)? Also, should I pot them in potting soil for the time being or should they go strait to Bonsai soil?

Lastly, All of them are quite old. I'm not sure how old exactly, but the houses in my neighborhood were built in the late 50s to 60s, so they're anywhere from 0-70 years old, haha. I've heard boxwoods only live for about 30 years, but I've also heard they can live for 100s. Other than using them for material for practicing on, would it be worth it? They all have quite large trunks / growth, so I'd like to give them an honest try if at all possible / reasonable.

Also, I have a bonus Holly bush that is behind the Boxwoods / Weeping Redbud that I am considering removing / using for bonsai. It's mostly fine, but the Weeping Redbud has blocked growth on one side and is encroaching on it's space.

 

[The Barber]

Spring would definitely be the best time to dig them if you want the best chance of survival. I'd recommend leaving the ones you have in the landscaping for a couple years. Start working on getting the size reduced to a form more suited to pot life. Also start fertilize them regularly through the grow season to help them build strength if you haven't already been doing so. This coming spring I would chop them back pretty hard, boxwoods bud back really well.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I have found them to be very easy to collect. I dug 2 out of my yard on August 12 2020 and both survived with no issues. They are very shallow rooted and have a dense fibrous root system. I just cut a ring around them with a battery powered reciprocating saw and popped them into plastic nursery pots. I used a mix of pumice and Permatil (heat treated slate). Still growing strong. Make sure when you prune them back to leave some green on the branches and they will backbud readily. You will need to wire the new shoots before they go from green to tan and get woody as they are very brittle and break easily otherwise.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

The best time to collect the one that needs to go now, is now, but I dont think I would keep it - All the brown leaves indicate that it might not be frost damage... Boxwood are pretty hardy... ive never seen frost damage on buxus like that. If it were blight, I wouldnt want it near my yard or trees.

The other four collect in spring jusg before leaf push. Here in NJ 7a, Id collect in April.

 

[PerryB]

I collected 3 Buxus yardadori from a friend's yard last late October. They were of 2 different dwarf cultivars (not Kingsville) and here in 7B they had no issues with the winter.
I have a large (4'x4'x4') that I've had for 32 years---transplanted it twice during remodeling---and it hasn't ever had frost or freeze damage. I've lived in 2 old historic houses that were in 7A, and each had Boxwoods at least 150 years old, so long term survival is also not a problem.

That said, I think the OP's box with the brown leaves has a disease and I wouldn't let it come near my yard!

 

[Dabbler]

If you can wait - after the last frost in late winter would be the time and you can cut back pretty hard with these guys as they backbud like crazy

 

[Horsefeathers]

Greatly appreciate all the feedback. I hadn't considered that the one at my MILs had a disease. The frost damage around here was bad so I just assumed that was it; in combination that my MIL is an extremely avid gardener (no interest in bonsai though). She is typically right on it when something looks "off".

I'll certainly try to do some more research / see if I can confirm it was from frost before moving over to my place. Otherwise, I'll just dig it up and put it on the burn pile.

 

[Bonsai_hope]

Are you sure that is not Boxwood Blight. When I lived in Pennsylvania the blight hit my garden boxwoods like that. My experience was that it started out with a few leaves and within a week the whole plant was dead. I attended a lecture a few years ago where a commercial nursery owner not only had to destroy a whole field but also burn his soil. I would call your local Department of Agriculture before I put any work into this tree.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Greatly appreciate all the feedback. I hadn't considered that the one at my MILs had a disease. The frost damage around here was bad so I just assumed that was it; in combination that my MIL is an extremely avid gardener (no interest in bonsai though). She is typically right on it when something looks "off".

I'll certainly try to do some more research / see if I can confirm it was from frost before moving over to my place. Otherwise, I'll just dig it up and put it on the burn pile.

I would not even move it (or touch it). Boxwood blight stays in the soil so a single fallen leaf with blight can infect and spread very easily. Do not transport. Nurseries who have boxwood in NJ need to be constantly checked by the njdoa... a single blighted plant can cause major problems.

you can call the extension office and have them gather sample for testing.

 

[BrianBay9]

Here's some info on boxwood blight:

M

Thread 'Boxwood Blight Presentation Slides'

Feb 21, 2019

We recently attended a pest and disease training for work and one of the topics was boxwood blight. I know quite of you folks keep boxwood in your collections so I requested the slides and permission to share them. The slides are very informative and fairly detailed, I hope they are helpful.

I had split the file into three parts due to the large size, please let me know if you have problems viewing them.

• Mellos
• Replies: 19
• Forum: Articles & Tutorials

• 

 

[Bonsai_hope]

Here's some info on boxwood blight:

M

Thread 'Boxwood Blight Presentation Slides'

Feb 21, 2019

We recently attended a pest and disease training for work and one of the topics was boxwood blight. I know quite of you folks keep boxwood in your collections so I requested the slides and permission to share them. The slides are very informative and fairly detailed, I hope they are helpful.

I had split the file into three parts due to the large size, please let me know if you have problems viewing them.

• Mellos
• Replies: 19
• Forum: Articles & Tutorials

• 

thank you for sharing this presentation. There is significantly more information since I became aware of this pest. At that time they believed it was only common boxwoods that were affected but now I see it includes the Korean and Japanese among others. Everyone should look at these slides if they have or are considering boxwoods.

 

[Horsefeathers]

Greatly appreciate the extra information! I have no idea, but will certainly confirm before we remove it.