box hedge

[georgiesgirl]

I would love to have a go at making a box hedge. With this in mind, i bought 2 buxus semperviren plants from B&Q last week.The plants have lots of new growth,and i realise that the growing on of these cuttings will take a long time, but want to give it a shot.
Is there a right time of the year to take the cuttings?
Any other suggestions on this process,will be taken on board.
thanks
anne

[georgiesgirl]

[PurpleHeather]

Four years ago this was posted and there is not one reply yet.

Wonder how she got on?

[ACE]

Left us all to go time travelling, judging by the last edit.

[thespade08]

I would love to have a go at making a box hedge. With this in mind, i bought 2 buxus semperviren plants from B&Q last week.The plants have lots of new growth,and i realise that the growing on of these cuttings will take a long time, but want to give it a shot.
Is there a right time of the year to take the cuttings?
Any other suggestions on this process,will be taken on board.
thanks
anne

You can take softwood or semi -ripe cuttings in late spring to early autumn,but be prepared for a variable strike rate that can be low.

[Garden Manager]

Be prepared to be very patient. Despite what the books, magazines and TV experts have said about box cuttings over the years, ie that they are quick and easy, it took about 4 years to get useable plants from cuttings.  So if the poster had taken the cuttings when they first posted they would just about have some decent sized plants by now! :o

That said my expereince is with the dwarf variety 'suffruticosa'. I dont know if the main species Buxus sempervirens is any quicker from cuttings.

On the subject of box. When is the best time to plant young plants out? I have been meanig to plant out some homegrown plants for some time now but just havent been able to find the right time to do it!

[saddad]

Germander is a much better bet, it's quicker, can be totally stooled, cuttings root quickly and if you for get to trim it itonly gets knee high and has beautiful pink flower spikes as well.


;D

[Garden Manager]

Germander is a much better bet, it's quicker, can be totally stooled, cuttings root quickly and if you for get to trim it itonly gets knee high and has beautiful pink flower spikes as well.


;D

Is that what the hedge in the photo is made from? Looks good and at that distance virtualy indistinguishable from box. Germander? Whats its latin name? Is it readily available?

Another good alternative to box (while we are on the subject) is lonicera nitida, a shrubby honeysuckle. I have some in my garden. It makes a dense evergreen hedge but is really only suitable for small/low hedges - tall ones tend to flop around in the wind. Vigourous and can be hard pruned if it gets out of hand (prone to doing so if not regularly maintained).

[littlebabybird]

Teucrium chamaedrys is germanda