Boxwoods are popular shrubs for landscaping in the Southern garden. They are slow growers, which means you don't need to prune often to keep them to a desirable size.

Key Points Certain weather conditions can make shrubs vulnerable to stress during pruning.Avoid heavy pruning during very dry or hot weather, and aim for cooler weather in early spring or late autumn.

When to Trim Boxwoods The best time to prune or trim evergreen shrubs like boxwoods is mid- to late-spring. Trimming too early in the year can kill the plant in cold climates.

Most broadleaf shrubs (such as azaleas, camellias, ligustrum, abelia, and cleyera) respond well to renewal pruning. Boxwoods, however, recover slowly and may even die when severely pruned unless ...

For the yews and burning bushes, heavier pruning is best done in late winter/early spring before new growth starts. With boxwoods, heavy pruning should be done during the growing season after the ...

The first one from Iowa State University give the proper time to prune shrubs and trees. The second one from University of Maryland includes a video showing how to prune boxwoods specifically.

Carrie Engel from Valley View Farms answers plant and gardening questions, including how to care for English Boxwoods.

The three main questions any gardener needs to ask when pruning are: Why are you pruning, when is the proper time to prune and how does that plant need to be pruned.

Boxwood is a beautiful bush -- until you shear it and shear it some more. Over time, all that shearing transforms boxwood into a ball of green veneer with a dead center. "This was sheared because ...