If you have an English boxwood shrub or even if you're just thinking about starting a hedge, then you should definitely read up on English boxwood care. While these plants are fairly hardy, there are several issues that you should read up on before you purchase one - that way, you can be sure that you'll know what to do when things come up. English boxwood care encompasses what to do if the boxwood appears to be doing poorly, as well as when the best times are to prune your boxwood.

Start Out in Good Soil then Mulch

The first thing that you'll need to consider regarding English boxwood care is what needs to be done to keep the boxwood healthy to start with. For one thing, you should definitely make sure that the boxwood is in the correct soil.

Boxwood does best if it is in alkaline soil, although slightly acidic soil will also be okay. If your soil is too acidic, then you should consider treating it before you plant the English boxwood.

As far as making sure that the English boxwood is well nourished, you should consider mulch. An important part of English boxwood care is making sure that the plant has enough nourishment - and also that the mulch is not attracting pests.

The reason that mulch is so effective is that the boxwood has roots that are relatively close to the surface of the soil. You can therefore get great results just by spreading some mulch.

Keep the mulch thin (about one inch or three centimeters deep) in order to make sure that you do not attract voles. Voles have a tendency to chew through English boxwood.

Diseases can Affect English Boxwood

Some of the problems that you might find during the course of your English boxwood care will involve the discoloration of the leaves. Some discolorations are normal, but if it is prolonged then it is probably an indication that something is wrong.

If you have English boxwood that turns orange during the winter, that is just due to the amount of sunlight it is getting during the colder months. You can prevent that by giving the boxwood some more shade. If you don't feel like planting more trees, however, then you just have to wait until the winter months are over for it to return to its normal color.

The biggest problem that people have with English boxwood care is that there is a boxwood illness called English Boxwood Decline. This is caused by any number of different issues, although it is usually caused by several problems together, including bad soil and parasites.

If your boxwood begins to suffer from decline, then you should cut off any affected or discolored branches. Make sure that it actually is decline before you start, though! You can also help the plant by cutting some of the branches and increasing the amount of air flow through the plant.

Some Pests Relatively Harmless

Finally, if you notice that the boxwood is growing curly leaves, don't worry too much. This is just caused by a small insect called the Psyllid. Since this usually doesn't affect the boxwood, you don't have to do anything in this case. However, if you notice that it is affecting the overall growth of the plant, then you should take care of it with a pesticide during the spring months. As far as problems, this one needs the least amount of English boxwood care.