Buxus sempervirens /Сone/
Buxus sempervirens - subtropical plant, and his homeland - the Mediterranean. It grows and lives of hundreds and even thousands of years. In one year it grows by only a millimeter. Boxwood is used for landscaping streets, gardens, the landscape design. The plant very well tolerate the winter. Boxwood can be cut. And because you can make different shapes of this plant. And as the box is almost not growing, then these figures will please you for a long time.
Plant care
Location. Boxwood is enjoying the sun, which is why it should be planted in full sun.
Soil. For boxwood soil composition significantly irrelevant. If you need fast-growing, high bushes, you need to put a nourishing ground. On poor soils - will grow more slowly, but the appearance will be better, and the shape after cutting will keep longer. The main thing - tree necessarily need well-drained soil.
Watering. Boxwood tolerates drought well. During prolonged heat, evenings occasionally start a plant shower to wash off the dust settled on the leaves. Take care to not peresyhav earth com. In spring, a few days before the first frost, it is necessary to conduct intense watering. It is advisable to mulch the soil rotten pine needles, compost or peat. Do not use dry leaves, as in the case of soft, wet winter, rotten leaves can cause fungal disease that often leads to defoliation boxwood or even his death.
Planting. Seedling dig a pit on the size of the container, but about 15-20 cm wider and deeper. At the bottom of the pit arrange a drainage layer necessarily. You can use any improvised stones, pieces of brick or rubble. If you groundwater and standing puddles after rain 2 weeks or more, it is worth digging a hole deeper and drainage make a thick (20 cm). Earth from the pit mix with compost or humus, following the 1: 1 ratio. Carefully take out box with pot. Spreading roots: they should not pidhynatysya. Put a plant on a layer of soil mixture filled up floor drainage. Regulate height so that the root collar was deepened and strictly located at ground level. Earthen mixture poured all the voids in the landing pit.
Crop. In growing boxwood is a very important operation - circumcision. If you want your bush was the original form or looked well maintained - crop obligatory! Start pruning plant is totally dependent on climatic conditions. Thus, when mild climate, pruning ornamental shrubs can be carried out in April, in more severe climates - around the beginning of May. The main rule is: the more - the better. Boxwood carries great haircut with chotyrohtyzhnevym regular intervals. Do it during active growth from April to September. Shearing during the rest is meaningless. It should take into account the growth rate of boxwood. It does not grow very quickly. Therefore, pruning should take place very carefully. Cut the new growth, and adjusted krone, more adults (skeletal) branches can touch only if the plant was formless or you just want to update. Keep in mind, the more you cut, the more we must feed and water the plant.
Fertilizing. Fed boxwood from mid-April to early August. For this special fertilizers best suited for boxwood. It made once a week, adding to the water for irrigation. Typical signs of lack of nitrogen in boxwood - reddened leaves. But from mid-summer, nitrogen fertilizers box contraindicated. At this time they need potassium and phosphorus, for better ripening of wood and preparation for winter.
Reproduction. Propagation by cuttings box.
Pests. Most boxwood suffers from samshytovoho Galitsa. The female of this insect in early summer, lay eggs on young leaves at the ends of shoots. The eggs appear larvae that penetrate the tissue layers, forming swelling. The leaves wither and fall off. Cleaning up fallen leaves and regular pruning helps to contain the number of this pest.
Diseases. Necrosis cleaner - a fungal disease in which the plants begin to dry up the tips of the shoots, the leaves spots appear, then pinkish-orange point - the repository of dispute. Helps pruning and treatment fungicides.