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Buxus gone wrong!

jordanhayes7391jordanhayes7391 Posts: 5
in Plants
Hello - was hoping to get some advice. I recently purchased a buxus tree for the front of our house as we had toyed with the idea for quite some months. Unfortunately over the last 2 weeks it has started to go yellow. Not being very green fingered I have been a bit clueless as to why - it is in a north facing position the sun only touches it first thing in the morning so had ruled out scorched from the sun, our other reasoning for it was that we live in a seaside town and thought perhaps the salt from the sea air could have played a part but our neighbours also purchased buxus plants and there's look fine. So from narrowing down the options we thought it could be from poor drainage so we have removed it from the pot and placed it into its original pot to see if this would help before repotting it. It has been almost a week now and no signs of visible change - again I have no real knowledge of plants or how quick they can change but hoping for some advice as I have now read about root rot. I have attached a few pictures in the hope it will help. I should say that while we have moved it back into the original pot it is now in a south facing position.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    There are two reasons for leaves that look like that. Stressed, and that could be environmental stress like cold and windy conditions, and the other, watering and space for roots.

    The pot looks extremely small for the size of plant. That means, a strict watering regime. Very easy for them to dry out. You either need to re-pot them into a larger size pot using a loam-based compost and still keep on top of watering. That's watering generously every 3-4 days in warm weather and easing off in colder weather. Don't rely on rain to do that job for you. Never water into the foliage. Remove the internal plastic band. You want to create an open environment. 

    Ideally, they will do better planted into the ground, if that is an option for you. Open up the soil with compost if the ground is compacted or heavy. Again, water in at the base and water a bucketful every 2-3 days in warm weather.
  • Dave HumbyDave Humby Posts: 1,145
    A common problem it seems

    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1038791/save-my-boxes#latest

    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1027943/box-blight#latest
  • jordanhayes7391jordanhayes7391 Posts: 5
    Borderline said:
    There are two reasons for leaves that look like that. Stressed, and that could be environmental stress like cold and windy conditions, and the other, watering and space for roots.

    The pot looks extremely small for the size of plant. That means, a strict watering regime. Very easy for them to dry out. You either need to re-pot them into a larger size pot using a loam-based compost and still keep on top of watering. That's watering generously every 3-4 days in warm weather and easing off in colder weather. Don't rely on rain to do that job for you. Never water into the foliage. Remove the internal plastic band. You want to create an open environment. 

    Ideally, they will do better planted into the ground, if that is an option for you. Open up the soil with compost if the ground is compacted or heavy. Again, water in at the base and water a bucketful every 2-3 days in warm weather.
    The pot pictured was the original - it had been planted into a large pot but when we considered drainage as a possible reason we took it out from the large pot and put it in the pot pictured to see if there would be any improvement. It could well be the north wind that has stressed it. Should I be using something like a buxus feed to regain colour?
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    The leaves that have browned won't turn green again, but if you can make it happy it should put on new green growth. A bigger pot will be good but make sure it has drainage holes.
    The tie won't be doing any good to the plant - it's the nursery's way of forcing the plant into a tall dense narrow shape without years of pruning and training. The plant will be healthier without them but you might not be happy with the more open shape.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • jordanhayes7391jordanhayes7391 Posts: 5
    JennyJ said:
    The leaves that have browned won't turn green again, but if you can make it happy it should put on new green growth. A bigger pot will be good but make sure it has drainage holes.
    The tie won't be doing any good to the plant - it's the nursery's way of forcing the plant into a tall dense narrow shape without years of pruning and training. The plant will be healthier without them but you might not be happy with the more open shape.
    Determined to make it happy again. Will repot it first thing tomorrow into the large plant pot. And drainage holes are there. We were also told to put stones in the bottom to help with drainage so may give that a go too. I wasn't aware of the tie till this morning when I took the photos and was a little unsure as to why it was there so you have cleared that up perfectly - I will remove if there's no real need for it. Thanks.
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