250 box plants (buxus sempervirens) - what to do with them now

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by impreza280, Jun 2, 2022.

  1. impreza280

    impreza280 Apprentice Gardener

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    10 years ago I planted 250 small bare root box plants in some spare space I had and they've now grown substantially - see photo. I have very much enjoyed growing them but I need to start thinking about what to do with them.

    As they are effectively 'field grown' rather than pot grown, I think the best time to lift them is when the ground is soft and they are dormant during the winter.

    I was contemplating a number of options:
    a) sell them in bulk as they are
    b) sell them individually with a root ball
    c) sell them as 'strips' of low hedging
    d) pot them and clip them into shape then sell (will they survive that?)

    I've got good experience of selling some other plants via ebay and shipping them - I'm really after some advice regarding successfully digging them up and some suggestions as to who might want some of them.

    IMG_6780.jpg
     
  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    If you are not in a rush then I would wait till the autumn and dig up and transfer to pots, that would maximise the chance of them establishing. I'm very unsure who would want them, there are two major problems with box - blight and caterpillars, which are putting people off planting them so I expect demand would be low particularly for hedging. You might get a better chance of selling them individually as features, do something simple like pruning into globes. I would research ebay and see what is selling at the moment and at what price, you may find offering as a job lot a nursery might buy them for selling on.
     
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    • Loofah

      Loofah Admin Staff Member

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      Good luck in selling them. Perhaps a stately home or similar might want them if you can get hold of the gardener.
      If they were anywhere near here then they'd be twigs by now!
       
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      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        I'd definitely wait until Autumn. :blue thumb:

        The best way to sell them would be to a nursery/garden centre but they almost certainly would ask for a Plant Passport. Technically you would need the passport to sell online as well but I've never heard of anyone being pulled up for it. To sell face to face for cash doesn't require it.
         
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        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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          I wonder if a local hedging company would be interested.
          Might even come out and dig them up, in the autumn, although what mess they would leave behind is a possible problem .:biggrin:
           
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