Hi Mark. You write,
Thanks for the info Chris.
Cycle what I offered in the mix, but don't count on me as an expert-- I'm
not. My experience differs on overwintering Kingsville from some advice
that you've recently seen. I think Jim Doyle and Dale Cochoy both have
experience with lots of Kingsville boxwoods over many years. I'd like to
hear what they have perceived in overwintering if I had a plant the size
(and potential value) of yours. The Kingsville (variety of Buxus
microphylla) is more winter hardy than American boxwood (varieties of Buxus
sempervirens) which I have potted.

My concern would be be preserving the fine roots for introduction into a
coarse mix of bonsai soil. Between now and that repotting, I'd want to
preserve root health. If I took an outdoor temperate tree with regular soil
indoors for the winter, the change in requirements for healthy care would be
considerable (and probably beyond my capacity to anticipate based on past
experience).

If I kept it healed in outdoors or in a cold garage, the care would be
negligible. In the cold garage it would require VERY infrequent watering.
Healed in, I expect nature's watering would mostly suffice if your mulch was
penetrable... but I wonder about the garden soil holding too much water in a
pot since the tree won't be taking it up. I'd keep the tree cold (trying to
mitigate warm snaps) until close to repotting in EARLY spring, so a cold
garage (or similar) seems a good choice. I'd want buds near ready to pop &
roots ready to throw new growth when repotting.

Experienced friends have chosen relatively deep pots for Kingsville-- not
unlike the choice in size made for azaleas. I think you'll want a
considerably deeper pot than its 2" wide trunk.

You write,
Should I reduce the canopy before replacing the soil, or do
both at the same time?
Should I stick to the equal parts canopy to roots theory?
Or ..... Should I take it to Jim !!

...CHUCKLING... Right! Whether Jim sees the actual plant or not, ask Jim
Doyle. The question might be the apical dominance (or lack thereof) for
this plant. I wouldn't just whack the top-half off of an azalea if I wanted
bud break in mid-trunk, though I might for a hornbeam. I think roots and
canopy should be reduced together but those are not the only variables to
consider in reducing each. Others whom I respect think one significant
pruning is shock-enough without introducing another.

Sorry to not have more to offer, Mark. You generously helped me on an
awful PC software problem, once, and I owe you more than indecisive advice.

Very best wishes,
Chris... C. Cochrane, , Richmond VA

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