Derby Day at the start of June is my yearly reminder that it is now ok to trim my box hedging as it is traditionally advised to wait until then before making your first cut.

Box (buxus) or common box is often seen as a central feature of carefully pruned formal gardens and domestic patios alike, either as a clipped topiary plant or hedge this versatile plant is tolerant of a wide range of soil types.

Plant details: Genus: Buxus; Species: sempervirens; Plant type: Evergreen shrub; Soil: most; Hardiness: Hardy; Height: 500cm; Spread: 500cm; Time to take cuttings: April to July

Planting advice: to avoid contracting the dreaded box blight (Cylindrocladium buxicola) try not to plant anything within a boot’s length of your hedge to encourage good air movement. For common box, allow 30-40cm (1ft -16”) between plants, more compact cultivars, such as Buxus mirophylla can be planted 10-15cm (4-6”) apart. On poorer soils, spread organic matter, such as well-rotted manure or compost 5cm (2’) deep over the prepared area and fork in. Don’t allow your young plants to dry out, water regularly until established and apply a general-purpose fertiliser at 70g per sq m in spring and mulch to a depth of 5cm (2’).

Pruning: cut back both young & mature hedge plants and topiary by up to one-third after May 31 to encourage bushy growth with a further trimming carried out between May and August as required. Old neglected plants usually respond well to hard pruning in late spring and can be cut back to within 15-30cm (6”-1ft) of the ground.

Blight! unfortunately the wet weather has not helped with the spread of box blight (Clylindrocladium buxicola), if you suspect your box may have this which can be detected by leaf spots, stem dieback and bare patches, cut out affected parts, clean up fallen leaves and replace surface topsoil to ensure complete removal and treat with a fungicide.

Box tip: shady spot? Box will tolerate deep shade so is ideal for planting beneath taller trees. To make new plants take semi ripe cuttings, place cuttings in a cold frame or heated propagator will speed up the rooting process and you should see roots after eight weeks – I will cover different cutting types in more detail soon.

Do you have a gardening question?

If so Lucy is there to help. From lawns to lilies, trees to turnips if you need some advice contact Lucy by emailing gardening@thekmgroup.co.uk. We’d also love to post pictures of your garden online as well as telling all of the county about your gardening news.