Boxwoods Thinned Out On The Bottom

Q: Over several years, my boxwoods have severely thinned out at the bottom. They were planted twenty years ago so I am wondering if they have outlived their lifespan. Can I do anything to fix them? 

A: Your boxwoods were improperly pruned. The key to keeping a shrub full and leafy from bottom to top is to never cut the bottom limbs to be narrower than the top. When the top shades out the bottom of a shrub, they look awful. Honestly, I think the best advice for you would be to pull out the shrubs, dig the soil thoroughly, add organic matter, and plant new ones. Meanwhile, I have great pruning instructions with photos and diagrams at bit.ly/GApruning.

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