• Home
  • Services
  • Firewood
  • About
  • Tree Care Calendar
  • Out on a Limb
  • Contact

Boxwoods

April 8, 2011 by admin

HEALTHY ENGLISH BOXWOOD (20 YEARS OLD AND THREE FEET TALL)

Boxwood come in many shapes and sizes. There are many cultivar of boxwood though

30 YEAR OLD AMERICAN BOXWOOD ( EIGHT FEET TALL )

mostly I see the American boxwood and the English boxwood. The American boxwood is simply the regeneration of the plant by seed where as an English boxwood is the regeneration of a cultivar by rooting a clipping from the selected plant. I have been given an odd boxwood dubbed the Weeping boxwood which has done very well and is an extremely fast grower, about a foot per year. One can generally tell the difference between an American, English and Weeping boxwoods by the shape and structure. The English is a dense slow growing shrub with smaller leaves than the American. The American grows faster and has an open sparse branch

10 YEAR OLD WEEPING BOXWOOD (EIGHT FEET TALL )

structure being more pinical in shape when young. The Weeping boxwood is very fast growing, so much so that in the spring it weeps over with new growth. The Weeping boxwood is even

more sparse in structure and pinical in shape. Boxwood thrive in shade and scattered sunlight. They can tolerate full sun and dense shade. Unlike many woody stem plants in Virginia, boxwoods prefer a less acidic soil and do well in manicured lawn

LEAF MINOR IN ENGLISH BOXWOOD

spaces where lime is employed. Boxwood roots are shallow and need plenty of mulch and protection from draught conditions. Watering is a priority to establishing boxwoods of all sizes. They are relatively easy to root and transplant as long as they don’t dry out. There are a few diseases to be concerned about. In most cases early detection and mechanical treatment or pruning can be the remedy. One obvious pest

ENGLISH BOXWOOD LEAF WITH LEAF MINORS

visable this time of year (April) is the leaf minor. A close inspection of the under side of an infected leaf when split open reveals the

LEAF MINORS REMOVED FROM LEAF

troublesome grub. Two years ago I discovered an infestation of these insects in some American boxwoods. I pruned back the

infected limbs before the grub emerged. Now the plants are thriving with no signs of leaf minors and no harmful chemicals having been applied.

Filed Under: Environment, Planting, Tree Care Tagged With: Boxwood, pruning, shrubs, transplanting

SPRING IS IN THE AIR!

February 17, 2011 by admin

Early spring is a particularly important time for the trees and shrubs in your yard. Because of plants’ yearly life cycle, it’s a good time to prune, plant, transplant and mulch. Here are a few important tips to help you make the most of your spring landscape care.

Pruning
Necessary pruning should be done as soon as can be managed. When pruning large amounts of foliage or more than one third the crown mass, pruning is best done in the cool spring and avoided during the hot dry times of the year.

Planting / Transplanting
As the days grow longer, the temperatures rise and the ground moisture remains high, dormancy gives way to new growth. Spring rains may drive me from the tree tops, but once on the ground I grab my shovel and start lifting small trees and shrubs. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Planting, Tree Care Tagged With: mulch, Planting, pruning, shrubs, transplanting, tree care

Stewart H.B. Stevens, Arborist

Stewart H.B. Stevens, Owner.
Professional arborist since 1974.

 

Habitat Services can assist you in the care of your valuable trees. Now is an ideal time to initiate a tree care program.

• Storm damage removal
• Hazard assessment
• Tree preservation
• Pruning & mulching
• Stump removal
• Firewood

 

Licensed & Insured

Recent Blog Posts . . .

  • The Burning Facts On Firewood
  • Firewood for Sale
  • Planting time is here
  • Historic Tree Symposium in Charlottesville
  • Habitat Services on Channel 29
Copyright Habitat Services, Keswick, Virginia 22947 Call: (434) 296-3327 or (434) 531-5683 (mobile)
Web development by EJ Communications