Gardening advice needed!!! Japanese box shrub...

[BeHereNow]

Hi guys-
I am hoping someone can offer me some direction here.
I have a Japanese box shrub that I transplanted to a raised brick
garden bed about 5 years ago.

Over the last six months, every branch has turned brown and withered.
There is only one branch with any green left.
I feel terrible!

My question is this-
Should I prune the dead branches?
Will this kill the plant or allow it to put it's life energy
into starting new growth and focus on the
living part of the plant?

In advance, thanks to any DU gardeners
who know how I might save it...

BHN

[crispini]

1. There's no reason not to prune it

but with only one branch, it may be too late to save.

What do you think killed it? Sun, water?

[BeHereNow]

2. Honestly, I don't know...

I'm thinking of putting it back in the ground though-
I'm wondering if the raised brick box has something to do with it.

What do you think about that plan?

Maybe it would do better in the earth rather
than the raised brick containment?

Thanks for the pruning thought.
My instinct says it would kill it...

BHN

[crispini]

3. Well, you should obviously listen to your instincts.

Sometimes just leaving something alone is the best thing you can do for it.

If it's been in the box for five years, there must be something else that has changed that has harmed it. Not enough water? Too much heat, is it near a driveway where it gets a lot of reflected sunlight? Has it been getting water regularly?

Repotting is always a wee bit traumatic, so I'd hold off unless you have a specific reason to think that the pot or the location is bad.

You might try some foliar feeding. It's very unlikely to harm it and might help. I get Garrett Juice, which you can buy at some organic stores, or make.
Recipe is here: http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=204 (Scroll down) Or some liquid fish.

[Quantess]

5. Yes, depending on what shrub it is, it might be happier in solid ground.

But we have to know what species it is, first. A brick container will suck moisture out of the soil, so it's possible it hasn't gotten enough water to the roots.

Some species do very well with pruning, others do not.

Is it possible to post a photo?

[Quantess]

4. What kind of shrub is it?

At first I was thinking you meant a Japanese boxwood. I know the Korean boxwood.... Or maybe I misunderstood, and you meant it was a shrub growing in a box?