How to clip box without agonising over it
Snippety snip!
Box ball, very inexpertly clipped by me, but also, perfectly fine by me!
Clipped forms in the garden are a wonderful - if paradoxical - way to give it that ‘natural’ feel. There is a very great difference between something that is neatly clipped and one that is left to get shaggy - not that any one look is the ‘correct’ one, but oddly enough, if you’re seeking a laid back feel to your garden, a few tightly clipped forms (and a mowed lawn) will get you there faster, and with less work than weeding and tidying for ever and a day.
The lowdown, from topiary sculptor Jake Hobson, whose Sentei Topiary Clippers (£49 www.Niwaki.com) are a delight, both in the hand and to the ear, is as follows:
Don't constrain yourself to box or yew; if you have a small-leaved evergreen in your garden that you think will look better shaped, then go for it.
Don’t be too rigid in your expectations either; allow the plant to dictate the finished form. A beautifully clipped wobbly blob will always look better than something that’s being forced unwillingly to be a perfect geometric shape.
In terms of post-clipping care, if the plant is happy and in the ground then you don’t need to fertilise afterwards (container plants are a different matter). Jake uses Maxicrop seaweed extract for anything in need of a boost.
And when to clip? Be intuitive, says Hobson - “The best time to clip, obviously avoiding extremes of heat or cold, is quite simply when you think of it”.
To this I would only add that though it might seem awful to clip away at lovely new growth at the beginning of the season, you will be stimulating more new growth lower down the stems of the box, which means that your shape will be denser and more delicious if you are a bit brave.
I am aware though, that many (including myself) enjoy a ‘rule’ or twelve when it comes to gardening, so if that’s you, then I’d say the following:
Clip your box in May or June, and then again in August or September. Feed in Spring.
SIMPLES
Lastly (but very important) read this post on box caterpillar and arm yourself with some Topbuxus Xentari to keep on top of the blighters without harming other beneficial insects. I also use Topbuxus Health Mix for feeding, along with the seaweed extract Jake recommends above.
x Laetitia