WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Buxus sempervirens, WUCOLS IV

How often to water English boxwood in California

In July in the Central Valley, established English boxwood in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 7.6 gallons a week. English boxwood is a dense, slow-growing evergreen shrub long used for clipped hedges and formal shapes. Its shallow roots want soil that stays evenly moist without turning waterlogged. Choose a draining site and protect the root area from excessive drying; this shrub can suffer both disease and moisture stress.

ShrubRated for 5 of 6 zones

How often to water English boxwood, month by month

Your city
Plant width
4 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for English boxwood and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry 2 to 3 inches down beneath an established boxwood hedge signals it needs water
  • Bronzed foliage calls for checking exposure and soil moisture rather than assuming the roots are dry
  • Patchy thinning along a boxwood hedge warrants checking irrigation coverage and inspecting for disease
  • Yellowing leaves or dying branches need inspection, especially if the shallow root area stays saturated
  • A hedge that stays damp at its base long after watering warrants a check for poor drainage

How to water it

  • Water boxwood at the soil surface across the full width of the root area, not just at the base of each stem
  • Soak the top several inches of soil, then let it dry slightly before watering again
  • Use drip or a soaker hose rather than frequent light sprinkling that keeps leaves and crowns damp
  • Keep mulch a couple of inches thick and pulled back from the stems to avoid trapping moisture there
  • Extend the watered band outward each year as a hedge or specimen plant fills out

Through the seasons

Check a new English boxwood closely during its first year, when long dry spells can stress its shallow roots. Established plants retain their leaves year round, but irrigation should follow soil moisture and the weather. Protect the root area with mulch and avoid persistent saturation. Coastal and valley winter rain can reduce the need for added water. WUCOLS rates English boxwood moderate water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley and on the south coast. It also rates moderate water in the high desert and the low desert. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to South Inland.

In pots

Boxwood suits container growing and can be clipped into a ball or cone. Press a finger into the mix a couple of inches down during California heat and water when that layer feels dry. Let water run fully through the drainage holes, then empty the saucer promptly, since pooled water around shallow roots invites rot. Move a container boxwood out of the most intense afternoon sun in an inland yard. In winter, check the mix before watering and shelter the foliage from drying wind and harsh sun.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.761.52.33.00.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.761.52.33.00.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

English Boxwood: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.78–0.740.78
Feb0.530.650.81–0.930.93
Mar0.871.091.15–1.461.52
Apr1.181.521.4–1.891.95
May1.462.081.61–2.392.45
Jun1.612.481.74–2.852.79
Jul1.612.671.98–3.042.85
Aug1.492.391.86–2.792.6
Sep1.241.81.49–2.142.08
Oct0.871.181.15–1.461.49
Nov0.470.560.84–0.930.96
Dec0.310.340.65–0.650.68
Year1217.1115.5–21.2721.08

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated moderate water in the Central Valley, like English boxwood. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

RosesRosa hybrids..bushmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAzaleasRhododendron spp. (CA native and non-native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCamelliasCamellia japonica (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGardeniasGardenia spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae (shade in desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHibiscusHibiscus rosa-sinensismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySago PalmCycas revolutamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyArborvitaeThuja occidentalis ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBambooBambusa spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyLilacsSyringa hybrids (including Descanso hybrids)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySpireaSpiraea spp. (CA native and non native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyButterfly BushBuddleja davidii and hybridsmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWestern ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifoliamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than English boxwood in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

LavenderLavandula spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyOlive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCrape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyLantanaLantana camara ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyAloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyJunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWild PrivetLigustrum vulgarelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCoralberrySymphoricarpos orbiculatus (SHADE)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBlue Leaf WattleAcacia salignalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes English boxwood, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water English boxwood in summer?

In July, established English boxwood in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley and about every 11 days on the south coast. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does English boxwood need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established English boxwood needs about 1.1 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 4.3 gallons a day for a plant 8 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for English boxwood change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates English boxwood separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, not suited to this region in the South Inland zone, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, moderate water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Why is my boxwood hedge dying in patches?

Patchy dieback can have several causes, including boxwood blight and root problems. Inspect affected stems and check whether the soil remains saturated before changing irrigation. Good drainage and room for air to move through the plants are useful, but they do not establish a diagnosis.

Can boxwood be grown in a hot, sunny inland yard?

English boxwood accepts sun or partial shade, but intense exposure needs careful site selection. Check moisture around its shallow roots and provide protection where sun or wind dries the plant. WUCOLS identifies South Inland as not suited for English boxwood, which limits where this advice applies.

Why does my boxwood smell unpleasant?

Boxwood can naturally have a scent that some gardeners find unpleasant. That characteristic alone does not indicate a watering problem. Check soil moisture separately instead of adjusting irrigation because of the smell.

How do I prevent root rot in boxwood?

Plant in soil that drains well and avoid piling mulch against the stems. Space plants so air can move through the hedge and dry foliage between waterings. Reduce watering frequency if the soil beneath the mulch stays damp.

Can English boxwood grow in South Inland gardens?

WUCOLS marks it as not suited to that region. A gardener there might look at a tougher substitute shrub for a similar clipped hedge look. Elsewhere in California it carries a moderate water rating.

More plant watering guides

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Sources