This was a brutal winter for my boxwood, worst wind/sun burn and snow damage ever. I have no good advice but do share your pain. For now, I'm going to do a "wait and see" to give new growth (if any) a chance to come on even tho my instinct is to start cutting all the branches with dead foliage out. Down inside, they are still green - so far. I'm worried with warm temps later in the summer, the damage will just get worse.

This is the only side that received the burn. Other boxwood hedge in the garden looks fair to good. Next year, I'll put up a screen of burlap and try to keep deep snow off the tops.

{{gwi:247040}}

PA, what cultivar do you keep in your containers? I read that the Korean boxwood do the best for container planting, but I can't find that cultivar in my area.

Schoolhouse, great hedge.

Thanks kimcoco,didn't mean to hijack the OP's thread; the hedge has gone through winters before with only a skimming of brown foliage on top. I've read that constant shearing isn't in boxwood's best interest either, so I guess I was due for some disappointment.

I have a columnar boxwood that I planted years ago and keep shaped, and this is the first year there has been damage to it as well.

thanks for the private email ....

i havent opined.. for the simple reason that i spent too many years shearing dad's foundation planting once or twice a year for 20 years.. generating a hatred of anything that needs such ...

ergo.. i dont do boxwood ... so no specific thoughts..

however.. that never stopped me.. lol .. in general .. its all about the buds.. black mushy buds are dead... live buds.. it will bud out at the appropriate time ... and cover the mess ... you must only wait to see how they will do.. and in late june or so.. start trimming out any dead stuff

i had a z4 winter here in my z5 ... if this is the first damage you have ever seen.. you probably did too

now.. this is the problem... if you end up with dead plants ... how are you going to fill in ????

no clue.. good luck ... ken

The usual recommendation is the potted plants should be at least one zone hardier and often two. This is part of the fascination with potted Alberta spruces.