Question
WE moved into a new house, and the sides of the yard and back are encased in boxwood shrubs. However, they were allowed to grow into trees because no one has lived here in forever and no one did anything with them. We have been working on them, trying to bring them down to a good size. It just seems like a lot of work. What can we do to get them to look good again? And please tell me we don't have to remove them all and start over. There are just too many.
Thank you so much.

Answer
Sharon,

I would recommend that you prune the boxwoods down in stages. Take no more than 1/3 off each year until they are the height that you wish them to be. Fertilize them in the fall using a low nitrogen fertilizer to help alleiviate any shock that the pruning may cause and keep them well watered through the summer months.

Good luck,
Ed Gulliksen