I totally forgot that we have a thread with this name. One day I might post some pictures here so y'all can give me suggestions. 😺

Yes, that sounds like a good idea Joan.

The backyard has a major problem right now and I'm at a total loss at how to fix it. I'm even having trouble taking pictures so that it makes sense. Without debating whether it's a good plant, I'm talking about boxwood. It came with the house and grows in front of and across the length of my sunroom (10-12' maybe?) It's not pruned and I love the flowing look that it has. There are some birds that like it too because I've inadvertently flushed some out. Not seen a nest tho.

Because I'm typing this on my phone I'll stop now and finish when I'm at my computer. It will make more sense then. For now I'll just say it's top heavy.



And the branches underneath are very thick.



So I'll finish this in a little bit.

So what's the problem with the boxwood? It looks quite nice in the photo. Sounds nice too. Is it blocking light from the sunroom? Blocking the view?

Yes, from a distance it looks nice. But the 'interior' is a mess. (had to organize the pics.)

So this is what I presume to be some new or new-ish growth. Pointing down. Thinking due to weight. Shouldn't they be growing up? (no pun)



This wasn't easy to shoot a picture, but if I lift the growth (without injuring myself) in the prior picture, here's what it looks like before the branches get really thick.


And
more of the underbrush



twisting and crisscrossing






I want to trim it down just a few inches (maybe 6) but keep it flowing which I thought I could just snip around on top. That was when I actually saw that undergrowth all crisscrossing. Thought it might be a problem.

Here it's almost at the east end. If you squint, you can see that it's approaching some kind of probably important 'boxes' or meters. Except you can only see the wires. (sorry)





And then a view from the very east where it's not quite as thick. It's next to a downspout. Maybe it's newer growth?


So should I just snip around and not worry about that thick undergrowth? I have no idea what the root system is like but I've been in the house for 20 years and not a problem that I'm aware of.

I agree the boxwood is attractive. I have a similar situation. My boxwood is interfering with my view out the windows. I understand it tolerates drastic trimming but I too am undecided. I'm interested to see what tfc's issue is.

I think maybe you mean what my solution is.

So where would you trim/cut? It's a bit too tall. And should I worry about the crisscrossing undergrowth?

Oops, cross-post. And, yes, that's what mine is like inside too only mine is older and stouter.

I don't know. Like you I am hoping for inspiration.

Well, if you have the courage for it you could cut those branches down to about 12 inches from the ground, remove some of the crisscrossing branches and give the plants a good dressing of compost, a little organic fertilizer, I like cottonseed meal,
and a light layer of mluch. Keep them moist and I bet in a few months you will have beautiful shrubs.
I know it takes guts, but sometimes surgery is the solution.
Let me know what you guys think.

Don't know if I have the guts to cut the guts.* But according to Wikipedia, boxwood can grow very, very tall. Somewhere I just read that it flowers. If that's true, maybe I don't have boxwood.

I wish I had a picture of what my neighbor did but I bet she doesn't remember. Hers have green (kinda) leaves on top with bare branches below. It's raining now or otherwise I'd take a picture.

* not quite true. I did butcher it in the middle for a good cause. In the back of my house I only have 1 electrical outlet and 1 faucet. (The front doesn't have an electric outlet. Have to go into the garage for that.) So of course the outlet and faucet are behind the boxwood. One day I got so tired of getting scratched, etc. reaching for the faucet, I just took a loppers and did a bad, bad thing. Except at the moment I can't find the best worse pictures.





Actually I didn't cut quite enough. I chickened out.

But cutting down as low as suggested, wouldn't that eliminate all of the greenery?

OMG. Now I'm reading about Boxwood Blight'. I don't even want to know.

Found it. This is why I finally got mad enough (pun intended) to butcher the boxwood.



And these are my best pictures of the results of the worst cut I made to reach the darned tap. It's the really, really bad thing I did. In my defense, I could be wearing a heavy sweatshirt and gloves and still get scratched by the boxwood. Sometimes it would even scratch me on the face. Still can sometimes because I didn't cut enough. And I didn't want the tap to stay on all the time by just using the garden hose shut off adapter.

Yes cutting it low would eliminate the greenery for a while, but new shoots will sprout from the branches.
It is no doubt a drastic solution.

When is the best time to do it given how unpredictable the weather has been?

Also, I'd have to go outside and count but I wonder if there are too many shrubs too close together to begin with. I can count them tomorrow if it's not raining. I also wonder if there's a way to work around that stupid tap? Won't matter until the shrubs grow up again, but I'd rather be prepared. (If I have the courage to cut them back. Might tick off the little birdies.)

I'm also going to look closely for any signs of boxwood blight. Enlarging those pictures makes the wood look kinda bad.

Speaking of the wood, did anyone know that it was used to make certain musical instruments? Maybe it still is.

Well, if you decide to cut them back this is a great time for it here in Texas, by the time they start sprouting the bad weather will be over.

Haven't decided yet what to do. I did kinda think this would be the time to do it.

@porkpal - what have you decided or have you decided?

Decided to remain undecided.

Front yard question:

I have a horse herb that grows in my backyard. I would love to grow some in my front yard. The entire front yard is covered by a southern magnolia. Mostly keep a lot of mulch around on the small areas that are nekkid. Can horse herb be transplanted? If so, how and when to get started?

Here horse herb seems to pop up everywhere, but I don't know how it spreads so successfully. I am pretty sure it would transplant easily, however it has quite a strong root system as you will notice if you try to just pull some up.

Sure you can move it now, just be sure you take a good rootball with it, cut the top back and keep it moist.