Can you even imagine what 50 small boxwood plants would cost at the garden center?
Back 20 years ago we bought over 50 small boxwood plants from a local grower who called them "slow growers." He could not sell them on the market, so he let us buy them cheap. They grew just fine along our gravel driveway. We did our best to trim them twice each year and give them a shot of fertilizer when needed . They looked super in our yard.
Recently here in Louisiana we planted 50 more small boxwood plants that we propagated ourselves during the last year. This time we are lining another gravel path, our walkway to the front porch. This planting was the third one around and down the path. We bought one mother plant about 4 years ago, and the cuttings have made almost 100 small plants so far. Since we need over 100 more plants to finish off our border, next week we will need to get those new cuttings into the soil.
Boxwood propagation is really simple, and the result is usually 95%-100% successful.
How to: With a sharp knife, cut a 4 inch to 6 inch stick with the leaves. Trim off the lowest leaf and stab that end into rooting powder that you purchase from a garden center.(I read on Pinterest that you can use ground cinnamon as a fungicide instead of rooting powder!) Then plant the boxwood sticks in moist soil about 5 inches apart. Keep moist, but not drowning. Then step back and watch them grow.
About 9 months later, the little plants will be ready to set out into the yard. Then just make sure to keep your boxwood youngsters damp when there is no rain.
First photo is of the first planting two years ago.
Second photo (with green wire fence) is April 2012.
Last photo (with orange tape) is February 2013.
Happy Bordering!
Back 20 years ago we bought over 50 small boxwood plants from a local grower who called them "slow growers." He could not sell them on the market, so he let us buy them cheap. They grew just fine along our gravel driveway. We did our best to trim them twice each year and give them a shot of fertilizer when needed . They looked super in our yard.
Recently here in Louisiana we planted 50 more small boxwood plants that we propagated ourselves during the last year. This time we are lining another gravel path, our walkway to the front porch. This planting was the third one around and down the path. We bought one mother plant about 4 years ago, and the cuttings have made almost 100 small plants so far. Since we need over 100 more plants to finish off our border, next week we will need to get those new cuttings into the soil.
Boxwood propagation is really simple, and the result is usually 95%-100% successful.
How to: With a sharp knife, cut a 4 inch to 6 inch stick with the leaves. Trim off the lowest leaf and stab that end into rooting powder that you purchase from a garden center.(I read on Pinterest that you can use ground cinnamon as a fungicide instead of rooting powder!) Then plant the boxwood sticks in moist soil about 5 inches apart. Keep moist, but not drowning. Then step back and watch them grow.
About 9 months later, the little plants will be ready to set out into the yard. Then just make sure to keep your boxwood youngsters damp when there is no rain.
First photo is of the first planting two years ago.
Second photo (with green wire fence) is April 2012.
Last photo (with orange tape) is February 2013.
Happy Bordering!
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