I, too prefer a more natural shape. The prettiest boxwood I ever saw was unpruned, and at first I didn’t even recognize it. Apologies to all of you who prefer that tidy clipped look.

I wonder if I spray some PGR (I don't dare), will it keep the leaves a bit more softer for a few extra more weeks . Anyone ever try/done/seen

pgr????

i dont do box ....

but this comes to mind ... and its the way you are pruning them ...

instead of shearing.. haircuts ... could you manually trim of pieces .. further back into the plant ... to achieve the look you are going for ... sort of a rejuvenation system ....

what i think you are saying.. is that you like juvenile foliage ... so then you have to ask yourself.. and us ... how do i maintain more juvenile foliage.. through the season ....

just some key words.. that perhaps you can search ...

ken

ps: P growth regulator???? ... pgr???

plant growth regulator. Never have used it except for a area of grass.....that I needed to slooow down one time. Not looking to regulate the shrub growth - melike's just the mellow softness of the new flush.

don't shear. Late winter, I do take the pruner and will snip off the extra long ones that is like 8" higher than the rest. That's all the haircutting it gets.

The new flush/leaves before it hardens off - color and ~ridigidness or lack of~ before it hardens off is basically what's I'm saying in the OP. It's just my favorite ~look~ for them

ok.. your title amuses me.. i must share ...

first.. shaggy.. .. makes me think of scooby do ... then meatballs.. in relation to shaggy ... makes me thing of meatball sandwiches.. of which shaggy was always hungry...

and next thing i know.. im driving around town ..... and for some reason craving a meatball sandwich ...

and i dont even like meatball sandwiches ....

dude.. whats that all about .. lol ..

ken

I like my boxwood hedges tidy, but I do understand the appeal of the shaggy look. However if left untrimmed mine would get too tall and broad. One way to get that more natural but tidy look is to hand shear with scissors. Takes longer, but the effect is nice.

For the past several years this old lady has yielded to the cordless hedge trimmer. Not the best look, but sure is easier and after the new growth comes in, it looks alright.

I do have other boxwood hedge that I do not trim much, I let them grow as tall and full as they want to a degree. Sometimes I have to take the hand shears and prune back boughs like a1an mentions.