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While there are lots of shrubs that will do perfectly fine over the winter, sometimes they need a little help to make it through. And that may not be just as a result of cold temperatures. Hungry wildlife could be after some of those tender branches, too. My cedar hedges in the backyard are consistently turned into lollipops because the deer enjoy nibbling the lower branches if they pass through our yard. Winter shrub covers are a great way to protect vulnerable bushes. In this article, I’m going to share tips on choosing winter covers, and how to safely wrap your shrubs.
Most shrubs should be able to survive the winter without any protection, especially if they’re native to your area. (They’ve been chosen based on your growing zone/the average annual minimum temperatures of where you live.) However there are a few instances where you may want to consider protecting your shrubs in the fall.
Why use winter shrub covers?
There are a few reasons to protect shrubs with a winter cover in the garden.
Wind: Strong, frigid winter winds can affect shrubs, especially newly planted ones. Some properties have areas where the wind will just howl through, and you can tell which trees and shrubs have been tossed about by the wind. Winterburn can affect whole sections of a shrub.
Freezing temperatures: For newly planted shrubs, the roots and branches may be vulnerable during that first year, especially if they were planted in the fall. Roots need time to really get established in the ground. And winter dieback can happen when delicate stems and branches are adversely affected by harsh weather.
Sunscald: Younger trees and shrubs can be susceptible to sunscald. This can happen when a period of intense sun warms up the bark, stimulating cell growth. Once the sun disappears and temperatures dip, that fresh plant tissue dies causing a crack in the bark.
Ice and snow: Ice and heavy snow can bend and break branches, so you may want to consider protection for a smaller shrub or a prized specimen. Every year there is at least one storm where a wet snow or ice storm will weigh down the branches of my cedars. In most cases they bounce back, but sometimes the heavy snow damage is irreversible.
Salt damage: If you have shrubs that line a road or sidewalk that gets a considerable amount of road salt, a cover will protect branches from the salt spray thrown up by plows or snowblowers.
Pest control: Some animals get a little desperate in the winter. What they don’t bother eating one year (or during the summer) may become a tasty meal the following if food is scarce. Or, your garden may be a well-worn route for certain animals, like deer. Plant covers can protect some of your shrubs from being eaten.
What to consider when adding a winter shrub cover
There are a few things to consider when selecting and using winter shrub covers:
- Look for shrub covers made from a sturdy, breathable fabric that is resistant to damage from wind and harsh storms. Common fabrics include synthetic materials and burlap.
- You want to make sure you’re able to secure the material firmly around your shrub. Use the supplied stakes to secure it in place. Purchase stakes and metal “staples” or spikes (like the ones you use to secure a camping tent) separately if you are DIYing a cover.
- Some permeability will ensure moisture can reach your plants.
- You want to make sure you can reuse any covers in the garden.
- Remove covers before spring growth starts.
- Make sure your covers are completely dry before folding them and storing away in a shed or garage.
- Avoid using plastic to cover your plants. Plastic can trap moisture against the plant and result in frost damage when it freezes.
Protecting shrubs with tent-like covers
Burlap is a traditional go-to for shrub protection, but there are all sorts of tents and “jackets” in various sizes available in retail and big box stores, and online. Some are the perfect length for a long row of shrubs. Others are made to fit the taller stature of certain evergreen shrubs.
Tents will protect shrubs from both the elements and critters, like deer. You can choose a size based on the diameter of your shrubs and the height of the plants. They won’t protect from rodents (see below for hardware cloth tips for keeping out mice and voles). Most fold up in spring for easy summer storage.
Shielding shrubs with burlap or row cover
Burlap is an easy-to-source fabric that comes in rolls, perfect for cutting to the dimensions necessary to wrap a shrub. All you need are scissors to cut it and some twine to hold it in place for the winter.
Some gardeners will dig in stakes around the shrub and attach the burlap to the stakes to keep it from touching the branches. This creates a nice wind barrier. Others will wrap the tree entirely. If the winter is exceptionally mild, it’s possible that moisture trapped between branches of a shrub and burlap wrapped too tightly could create mold or mildew. This is something you could check if the weather is anomalous.
Use gardener’s twine to secure your burlap coat, starting from the bottom, and wrapping it around as you make your way up the shrub to the top. Tuck in loose pieces so everything is secure when inclement weather hits.
Surrounding shrubs with fencing
Some gardeners will build a whole fence-like contraption to go around a shrub and protect it from grazing deer or rabbits. This may not include burlap as the concern is less about damage from the elements, and more because of the animals themselves.
Use hardware cloth (which is like chicken wire, but with small square holes) to encircle a young or small shrub that you’re worried is vulnerable to pest damage. If you’re trying to prevent mice from having a nibble, dig the hardware cloth a few inches into the ground so nothing can burrow underneath.
Basket-type cloches, if you can find one big enough to cover your shrub, are great options if you’re not worried about the cold. They’ll simply take your shrub off the menu for hungry wildlife.
Add winter mulch protection to the base of your shrubs
New shrubs and small trees are especially vulnerable to harsh winter temps. Snow can act as a protective layer, however thawing and freezing can wreak havoc on even a well-established shrub. A good layer of winter mulch can protect the roots of your shrub. In the fall, add about four to five inches around the base of your shrub. Leaves, shredded bark, and straw are all good options to keep your plants nice and cozy throughout the winter. They also can help retain moisture, preventing winter burn, which occurs when there is not enough water to the shrub.
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