Preparing Bigleaf Hydrangeas for Winter
I
woke up to 37 degrees F this morning, a stark reminder that I need to prepare
to wrap some of my bigleaf hydrangeas (macrophyllas) for winter. Those that
aren't planted in protected locations as I described in my earlier blog posts, https://bit.ly/2lRGNlm
and https://bit.ly/2A8tzZE need a little help if I
want to give them their best chance of having their buds make it through the coming
winter to see flowers in 2019.
Exactly
what does this mean right now? SHRUBCOVERS: something I can use to safely protect the plants from ice and snow,
maybe even give them a few degrees of insulation.
You
can simply leave the A-Frame bare to shunt off snow and ice. However, for
colder areas the A-frame makes a great base to drape a tarp or insulating
cover. If you do that, make sure you secure it against the weather with string
or a bungee cord.
Of course, before I cover my plants I need to wait
until they have dropped all their leaves and I have cleaned up the base
of the plant. I don't want any fungal spores to overwinter and return to infect
my plants next season.
Taking
that into account, it may be too early in your part of the country to install
these covers. But it's not too early to get those shrub covers lined up 'cause
by the time you need them, you might not have enough time to get it all done.
What
does a shrub cover look like?
It
can be an "A-Frame" made from discarded wood pallets you can salvage
from local stores or one you build on your own.
A-Frame shrub cover made from a pallet.
DIY
plans and ideas are all over the internet. I found one at
Another
kind of winter protection can be an unframed drape held by the stems of the
plant. Here's one available at several on-line shopping sites:
Unstructured shrub cover draped over plant.
In any event, don't wait
to get these items lined up for installation. There's no way of telling when
the on-line suppliers will run out and how much time you have to get yourself
organized for this task. Let the plants harden off while you get busy doing
your part. If this is the route you choose to go, you'll be glad you've got these
covers at the ready.
I cover the subject of
winter protection in my best selling book, Success With Hydrangeas, A Gardener's Guide. You can order a signed copy here. It
makes a great holiday gift for the gardener in your life.
Hydrangea happiness can't start soon enough!
