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. Sow seeds in autumn or early spring, into small pots or seedtrays,and place in a coldframeto germinate and grow. Don't let them dry out. Peat based compost or peat compost mixed with loamy soil is the best compost to maintain a vibrant Buxus plant. Is cow manure good for Buxus? As soon as you discover it spray thoroughly with PY bug killer, an effective insecticide which controls caterpillars. Available in a handy ready to use spray it is easy to use and effective if you spray the top and undersides of all foliage and repeat around 10 days later. Plant Buxus plants so they have good air flow around them and good light levels, some gardeners give it a clear boot space before planting other plants;

And finally, something completely different; Buxus sempervirens ‘Blauer Heinz’. This blue boxwood shrub has a leaf colour more akin to cypress or Mediterranean coniferous trees and firs. I’ve seen it used countless times in some incredibly creative planting schemes and it has never failed to stun me. However, once established, the dwarfing habit of dwarf box makes it one of the lowest maintenance hedges around, rarely needing more than one prune in any given year to maintain its size. 6. Buxus microphylla 'Golden Triumph' (Golden Triumph Boxwood)

Balls

These shrubs cannot tolerate remaining in a waterlogged situation and this is one of the most important factors in determining where they will grow well. Though they can grow in almost all soil types, loamy soil that is organically rich is what Boxwoods need to thrive. Is Buxus acid-loving? Sadly in recent years box has been affected by box blight disease and more recently a plague of tiny caterpillars that feast on the foliage. The blight that affects boxwood is widespread and feared by gardeners across Europe and the US. Although difficult to control you can help box hedges, topiary and structure plants to resist infection growing them well. The best box hedge is Buxus sempervirens, also called English Boxwood or Common Box. What is the best compost for Buxus? In the growing season (March – October), Top Buxus Health Mix should be applied several times per month to strengthen and feed the plants. What is the best fertiliser for Buxus?

Individual plants may be sold unclipped, ready for you to trim them into whatever shape you wish, or already topiarised into cones, balls or other shapes, for instant impact. See our guide to creating topiary. It is almost impossible to over fertilise Buxus as they are considered a gross feeder (a plant that requires more fertiliser and nutrients to grow successfully) and therefore generous amounts of fertiliser should be applied. Buxus respond best to nitrogen based fertiliser applied in regular intervals during the growing season of mid-October to April.

Put in enough soil so that when the root ball rests on it, it reaches to about 3cm below the top of the pot. This makes it easier to water the roots. And it leaves room for you to put some decorative stone on the soil if you wish to cover it up.