Boxwood Bonsai Watering Methods and Solutions for Yellowing Leaves

Boxwood, also known as evergreen, can be seen in everyday life along roadsides, in parks, in median strips, and anywhere else that needs landscaping. Boxwood has excellent wood quality, making it a superior material whether for making furniture or as a building material. Many people want to grow boxwood. So, in daily cultivation, by what standard should a boxwood bonsai be watered? What should be done if the leaves turn yellow?

How to Water a Boxwood Bonsai

Boxwood likes water, and when watering boxwood you should follow the principle of "rather wet than dry." When the boxwood is still a seedling, its root system is relatively shallow, so water a small amount at a time but frequently, keeping only the surface soil moist. During the period of rapid seedling growth, it needs a large amount of water, so the irrigation amount should be increased, thoroughly watering each time.

In the later stage of seedling growth, to prevent the seedling from excessive vegetative growth, you should begin to control watering. It is best to water in the morning or evening each time, avoiding watering at noon.

Boxwood likes moisture and can adapt to a continuous month of rainy weather, but it must not be waterlogged for a long time. When transplanting in summer or when new buds are sprouting, take care to avoid prolonged sun exposure and prevent the potting soil from becoming too wet.

What to Do When Boxwood Bonsai Leaves Turn Yellow

When boxwood leaves turn yellow, depending on the characteristics of how it occurs, there are the following situations:

First, water-induced yellowing. Its characteristic is that the old leaves show no obvious change while the young leaves turn yellow; in this case, water control should be implemented immediately;

Second, drought-induced yellowing. Its characteristic is that the old leaves turn yellow first from the bottom upward; if the water shortage lasts a little longer, the whole plant's leaves will turn yellow, or it may even die, so it should be watered promptly;

Third, fertilizer-induced yellowing. Its characteristic is that the young leaves are thick and fleshy, glossy, and uneven; fertilizer should be controlled, and the soil should be cultivated and watered;

Fourth, starvation-induced yellowing. Its characteristic is that the young leaves and tender stems turn yellow first; if fertilizer is not applied promptly after seeing this phenomenon, it can also cause the whole plant's leaves to turn yellow or even die; for flowers lacking fertilizer, by no means should a large amount of concentrated fertilizer be applied at one time, so as to avoid burning the roots;

Fifth, iron-deficiency yellowing of leaves. Its characteristic is that it is obvious on young leaves and milder on old leaves, with the mesophyll yellow and the veins green, forming a typical network; it can be solved by applying ferrous sulfate aqueous solution, and the method is: 7 parts cake fertilizer, 5 parts ferrous sulfate, and 200 parts water made into a diluted solution for watering.

Daily Fertilizer and Water Management for Boxwood Bonsai

1. Watering

The overall principle is "do not water if not dry, and when watering, water thoroughly." If the bonsai is planted in a shallow pot, in summer it should be watered once in the morning and once in the evening. In winter, watering should preferably be concentrated between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. At this time the temperature is relatively high, making it less likely to freeze and damage the root system. 2. Loosening the soil

Use a bamboo stick about 15 cm long, and gradually loosen the soil from the outer side of the pot toward the inner side, with movements that are gentle yet forceful.

3. Fertilizing

1. The basic principle to follow is applying thin fertilizer frequently, applying more to those growing robustly and less to those growing weakly.

The fertilizing time is from April to early November each year, with compound fertilizer and cake fertilizer being suitable. During these 7 months of fertilizing, on average 2, fertilize 2 to 3 times each month, achieving thin fertilizer applied frequently, at the right time and in the right amount.

3. When fertilizing, the ratio of bean cake water is best at about 1:3 to 1:4. Under normal circumstances, fertilize 2 to 3 times per month on average.

4. Applying compound fertilizer to boxwood bonsai can be done every month.

4. Removing flowers

Boxwood bonsai generally blooms from March to April each year. Flower removal treatment is generally carried out in late April.

Repotting Management for Boxwood Bonsai

1. Choosing a pot

Commonly used pots include clay pots, purple clay pots, stone pots, glazed ceramic pots, and so on.

2. Repotting

Boxwood bonsai needs to be repotted once every 2 to 3 years, and each repotting is generally carried out from mid-March to early April or from late September to early October each year.

The specific repotting steps are as follows:

1. Before repotting, according to the weather conditions, do not water for 3 to 5 days; if rainy weather is encountered, the time should be extended accordingly, so that the soil in the pot remains dry.

2. When changing the soil, choose tools according to the depth of the pot. The tools we use when changing soil in the scenic area mainly include bamboo sticks, pruning shears, and ordinary scissors.

3. When changing the soil, if the pot is relatively deep, you can choose a bamboo stick 25 cm to 30 cm long to pick out the soil.

Boxwood has excellent wood quality and has a powerful effect of absorbing harmful substances in the air, with a good filtering effect on many kinds of pollutants. In addition, boxwood stays green all year round, and keeping it as a bonsai can effectively relieve eye fatigue, relax the brain, and has high ornamental value.