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The autumn-winter period is an extremely important time for any plant breeder, since many plants require increased attention just before the onset of cold weather. This is true for a wide variety of crops, including the frost-sensitive boxwood. Therefore, everyone who has the pleasure of growing this wonderful plant on their site will find it useful to find out what caring for boxwood in autumn is and how to properly prepare it for winter.
Features of caring for boxwood in autumn and preparation for winter
Although boxwood is not a whimsical crop in the summertime, the fall months account for a fairly large amount of work associated with this plant. After all, it will depend on high-quality care in the fall whether the boxwood can quickly recover from winter with the arrival of warmth. When growing this plant on your site, it is worth remembering several important points:
- Boxwood leaves contain toxic compounds that can cause chemical burns. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the plant with rubber gloves, a gown and a face mask, which must be washed along with garden tools after each use.
- All care procedures, including pruning, watering and mulching, should be carried out before the arrival of frosty days.
- Since boxwood is very sensitive to the sun and begins to actively sprout at the slightest warming, it is worth planting it in the shade of large plants or near buildings on the northeast and northwest side.
- In the spring, the shelter from the bush is not removed immediately. First, the trunk circle is slightly opened at the very base of the plant, then after 7 to 10 days the protective layer is removed from the top of the boxwood. Snow and leaves are removed from the trunk circle so that the soil warms up faster.
Boxwood care in autumn
Caring for a plant in the fall is not too burdensome, but requires sufficient attention and time. As in the summer, it comes down to watering, feeding, mulching and pruning. Nevertheless, each of these procedures has its own nuances, following which will facilitate the wintering of the boxwood and help maintain the health of the bush.
Watering and feeding
To recharge the plant with energy for the coming winter months, abundant watering will help. It is necessary for the boxwood to nourish its cells with the liquid that it will need in a snowless winter with drying frosts and strong winds. In such conditions, the bush rapidly evaporates water, and its initial lack will lead to freezing of the boxwood and its death. Therefore, 1 - 2 weeks before the onset of frost, the plant should be generously watered with settled water at room temperature. For watering, it is better to choose a dry sunny day, and the procedure itself should be carried out in the morning hours or 3 to 4 hours before dusk, so as not to provoke the development of fungal diseases in boxwood.
As for fertilizing, potash and phosphorus fertilizers will also saturate the plant in the best way possible before the winter months and accelerate the growth of green mass in the spring. However, it is worth feeding the boxwood for the last time in the season no later than mid-September, otherwise, instead of falling into a state of dormancy, the culture will start up new shoots.The best time for final feeding is considered the end of August, and in warm regions - the first days of September.
Mulching
When caring for boxwood, the importance of mulching should not be underestimated. Correctly carried out action can, no less, save the bush from freezing on harsh winter days, as well as from flooding during the melting of snow, since mulch provides optimal water and heat exchange in the roots of the plant. As a rule, boxwood is mulched 2 - 3 days after water-charging irrigation. Peat, rotted needles or crushed pine bark are often used as mulch. A layer of mulching material is made 5 - 10 cm thick, while at the base of the plant a free space with a diameter of 2 - 3 cm is left.
Pruning
Pruning is considered an important procedure in caring for boxwood. In summer, the plant is pruned mainly to maintain the decorative appearance of the bush at intervals of once every 1 to 2 months. Podzimny pruning, which is carried out at the end of October before frost, has other purposes. It is aimed at stimulating the growth of young shoots of boxwood during the spring growing season. As a rule, during this procedure, damaged and old branches are completely disposed of, and the remaining branches are shortened by 1.5 - 2 cm. Moreover, only bushes older than 2 years need pruning. Younger specimens with a less developed root system will be too weakened after the procedure and may not recover from cold weather.
Protection against diseases and pests
Since poisonous substances are present in the foliage of the plant, this makes the crop very resistant to a variety of pests and diseases. However, there are also such insects that attack the boxwood, despite its protective functions.
For example, the boxwood fly, which feeds on the pulp of leaves, gnawing tunnels in them, is distinguished not only by its gluttony, but also by its resistance to low temperatures. The larvae of this parasite successfully survive the winter and devour the plant with a vengeance in spring.
Boxwood felt no less harm to boxwood, eating its branches and leaves. In addition, he, like the fly, is not afraid of the cold, so he can suddenly remind of himself during the growing season of the plant in the spring, when, it would seem, the plant got rid of this misfortune.
With both pests, insecticide treatment of the bush, carried out at the end of April - May, will cope. In the fall, you can also take certain actions to combat them: for example, the timely removal of injured branches and leaves and their burning. Whitewashing of tall plants will also help from the encroachment of parasites.
Transfer
Caring for box trees may include replanting the plant, which, like the initial planting, is done before winter. For successful development, the place of growth of the bush is changed with an interval of 3 to 4 years until it grows large enough. The optimal time for this is considered to be the period from late July to early November, depending on the region of cultivation. When choosing a day for transplanting, it should be borne in mind that the bush needs at least 1 month for successful rooting, so it is advisable to organize it before the cold weather sets in.
The place of transfer is also of great importance. The quality of the soil is not very important when it comes to boxwood, however, on fertile loose soil, the plant will get stronger much faster. At the same time, they are guided by moderately moist soil, and the groundwater should not run too close to the surface, otherwise the roots of the bush will begin to rot.
As a rule, when transplanting boxwood, plant breeders are guided by the same algorithm of actions as when planting in open ground:
- 24 hours before the procedure, the plant is generously watered to make it easier to extract the roots with an earthy clod.
- The planting hole is dug 3 times more earthy coma.
- A drainage layer of perlite or other absorbent material 2-3 cm thick is laid on the bottom of it.
- Then perlite is mixed from soils in a ratio of 1: 1 and poured over the drainage so that subsequently the upper part of the clod of earth with roots is flush with the surface. The empty space around the roots is also covered with a mixture and the soil is lightly tamped.
- At the end of the procedure, the boxwood is intensively watered with rain or settled water.
Preparing boxwood for winter
When preparing a plant for winter, it is necessary to take into account the frost resistance of the boxwood and, if necessary, think about whether it is worth building a shelter for it.
Winter hardiness of boxwood
This plant is quite capable of withstanding short-term cold snaps, however, at stable low temperatures below -10 ° C, it begins to freeze. Long-term frosts can completely destroy the bush, if no additional measures are taken. However, some varieties of boxwood are more hardy than others. So, hardy plant varieties include:
- Blauer Heinz;
- Handsworthiensis;
- Herrenhausen;
- Buxus Sempervirens.
Do I need to cover boxwood for the winter
The decision on whether to cover a plant for the winter or not should be made based on the characteristics of the region in which the boxwood grows. In the southern regions, bushes up to 1 m high also winter well under snow, but in colder regions, including in the middle lane, care must be taken to protect the plant. This is necessary not only to prevent freezing, but also in order to hide the culture from the sun during thaws, since even a small amount of light can awaken box trees from hibernation and start the processes of photosynthesis in foliage. Due to the frozen soil, food will not be able to flow fully, and the plant will die very quickly.
How to cover boxwood for the winter
The construction of a winter shelter plays a key role in preparing the plant for the cold weather. To properly insulate boxwood for the winter, the following recommendations may come in handy:
- The bushes should be covered after the outside temperature reaches a stable -10 ° C and the risk of possible warming has passed, otherwise the bush will vanish under the protective material.
- Standard plants and low-growing bushes are pre-tied up, attached to the support with a rope so that they do not break off under the weight of the snow.
- Short bushes do not need a garter if wooden boxes with ventilation holes are to be used for shelter.
- Instead of tying up plants up to 1 m in height, wire frames can be built over them. Such structures are covered with a protective layer, which is fixed at the ground with the help of a load.
- Tall varieties are covered with burlap, tightly wrapped around the bush. In some cases, they use two U-shaped structures installed crosswise over the plant.
- The boxwood, which is part of the hedge, is neatly tied with rope, dividing the plants into groups of several. Additionally, you can overlay the trunks with spruce branches tied in bunches.
- In case boxwood bushes grow side by side with roses, it is possible to make a common frame shelter.
- The fabric should be breathable and dark in color. Light-colored material is not suitable, as it attracts heat, which can cause the plant to dry out.
- For the same reason, plastic wrap should not be used for covering.
How boxwood winters
The climate in central Russia is characterized by the fact that in winter, crops that belong to the 4th zone of winter hardiness and below feel quite comfortable in it. However, most varieties of boxwood are ranked in the 6th zone: this means that such plants must be protected from the cold, moreover, often with several layers of covering material. This approach to care will help maintain the health of the bush without losing its decorative effect.
Conclusion
Caring for boxwood in the fall cannot be called a troublesome business, since the culture has many characteristics. However, the implementation of all recommendations and increased care will more than pay off in the spring, when the plant will delight the eye with its spectacular and well-groomed appearance. A video about the shelter of this culture for the winter will help to consolidate the newfound skills in caring for boxwood.
