Clean the blades of the pruning loppers and garden shears thoroughly with the rubbing alcohol and a clean rag to avoid spreading fungus and disease from plant to plant.
Prune the boxwood deeply during late spring to remove any dead branches. Determine the shape desired for the boxwood plant, for example a circle or square, and use the garden loppers to rough in the shape, cutting exterior branches near the leaf buds if possible. Avoid cutting too far into the interior of the shrub until the boxwood plant has been established for several years in the planting location.
Refine the shape of the boxwood shrub by trimming small branches with the garden shears during the summer growing season.
Water the shrub thoroughly after trimming and during periods of dry weather.