In another e-mail, Maria assured me that the hydrangeas pop back up in the spring and look like normal hydrangea shrubs. The frame filled with mulch will protect your hydrangea throughout the winter weather. Store it for the following winter! Necessities: Wood; Bubble wrap or non-woven cloth; Mulch; Chicken wire; Do you live in an area where a lot of snow is falling in winter? In-ground Hydrangeas – Winter Protection. Try using a rake to spread the compost. You can expect the leaves to drop off since they are deciduous plants. Concurrently, remove any weak or dead branches by also cutting them off at the base. Mulching is essential for the winter months and its benefits go beyond general protection. Even though I lose some buds, I still get plenty for the next summer. By submitting this form you agree to our privacy policy. But there are still few things to do in… Wait to remove winter protection until all danger of frost has passed in the spring. Just add the compost on top of the frozen ground and it will break down when the ground defrosts. WARNING: Snipping off the ends of the stems of most hydrangeas causes some flower loss unless it is done before August. It could also encourage rodent activity during the winter and subsequent stem damage from the rodents. Also, weak or even dead branches should be cut away. Putting your hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) That is no problem! Protecting the hydrangea during winter helps to ensure the plant is able to bloom each year. You want to make sure to remove all of the mulch before the new growth begins. Fill the enclosure with dead leaves or pine needles to provide insulation. The first step in proper winter care is to cut back any old wood down to the base. These all-important bloom buds on branch ends should be protected with a layer of leaves or other material before covering. Because hydrangeas' spring flowers bloom from the previous year's buds, it's important that you properly prepare your plants for the harsh winter conditions. 7. When they get larger, I need help to hold them down. Stretch chicken wire around the outside of the stakes. For example, if the standard recommendation is to mulch over a particular garden perennial for winter, do so with the buried potted plant. I have two hydrangeas that are approx. Be careful not to break the tips off any of the branches as this is where the flower buds have already formed. (hunt for large TV boxes). How do you protect hydrangeas in winter? If the temperature falls into the single digits for only a few hours at a time, the hydrangea should not be harmed. 4. and may need some protection, particularly if you like to push zonal gardening limits. We absolutely love this idea from Katelin Alison. For even greater protection, cover the shrub with a wire cage, or build a cage around it with strong stakes and chicken wire. If you take good care of the hydrangea during winter, the plant will have more and prettier blooms. Winter care can be as simple as doing nothing – if minimum temperatures in your garden do not threaten your hydrangeas and if a late frost doesn't occur after the stems have emerged from dormancy. But if you just planted the hydrangea, you will have to protect it to get through the first winter! To make it easier for you, we provide you with a step-by-step plan on how to protect your hydrangea in winter. NOTE: As with several techniques on this site, we can neither recommend the following technique nor take credit for it. To protect your hydrangea’s dormant buds, surround the plant with a layer of protection. You don’t even have to fill them with leaves, the burlap itself will protect the stems from some of the dry cold winter wind which is what is really tough on plants. The first thing you have to do for hydrangea winter care is to cut away dead wood the plant has produced. Make sure it stays hydrated throughout the winter if you don’t have snow cover. When the leaves start to appear on the stems in the spring, remove the cover, and keep a lookout for any stem dieback. Hydrangeas!, hydrangea enthusiast Judith King recommends several strategies for protecting hydrangeas from winter damage. Maria writes: "I live In Ottawa, Ontario Canada, and have been a very crazy hydrangea fan. I wish she'd sent a picture! Cut the material to fit and attach with garden clips, wire, or plastic ties. Before you start protecting your hydrangea for winter, you will have to cut the hydrangea back. Then you should build a strong frame around your hydrangea. Hydrangeas are pretty darn hardy (I know Martha grows beautiful ones, of course--LOL), but I don't know about in Alaska. Protection for Potted Hydrangeas. Avoid walking on grass in winter, particularly when frost or snow blankets the lawn. Bring ends of fence together, and overlap so as to partially compress the leaves, and secure. You can also drape some pine boughs over it for protection as well, I tried that with one hydrangea that isn’t winter hardy here in my zone and it seems to have works well. Firstly, cutting back the hydrangea for winter is the best thing to do. This page contains affiliate links to products on Amazon. Oak leaves work well because they do not settle as easily as other materials. How to Protect Hydrangeas After Blooming Season. Fill plant with leaves (carefully stuff leaves into the branches of the plant). Make sure the fencing is as tall as the shrub itself. Place 4' high fencing, lined on the inside with plastic sheeting, around the plant, leaving 1 foot of space all around. If you live in a very cold area, you might try growing hydrangeas in large pots and putting them in a cellar or garage that freezes only lightly. Neither has flowered in the past several years since they were first planted. It still allows the snow to build up at the base of the plant which can be a … Most methods of protection start with a frame around the hydrangea. Read the easy steps listed below and learn about how you can prepare your hydrangea for winter. to bed for winter doesn't always include a severe pruning. These can then be used to refresh the leaf insulation as it settles over the winter. Good luck with the hydrangea winter care! Before you start hacking back your shrub you first need to identify which type of hydrangea you have in your garden. He uses a "radius compass" to draw the circle on the Styrofoam, but I imagine a pencil on a string would also work for us non-engineers. Around 3 times a week will be enough for the hydrangea to survive through the winter. Love your site, Maria". Scatter your mulch materials to cover the ground around the base of your plants. 3' tall and 2-3' wide. On her website Hydrangeas! 5. The following is a description of Bob's procedure: 1. Not sure of variety. This can be sturdy stakes surrounded by chicken wire, burlap, or other material that allows air to circulate (Plastic is not recommended although some find it useful). However, most of the showy hydrangeas are foreigners in the US. Plant evergreen shrubs to block your Forever and Ever hydrangea from prevailing late winter and early spring winds, which can damage flower buds and any early foliage. Hydrangeas that experience winter temperatures of no less than 5-10 degrees do not need winter protection. Another gardener recommended keeping extra bags of leaves in an area where they will not freeze. Source: Toño, archivo.infojardin.com In colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere, the flowering season is either over for the season or coming to an end. If you do step on it, you’ll notice that your footprints linger, as frozen grass blades break underfoot. Below is a picture of the "snowcone" that protects Sylvia's 'Lemon Wave' hydrangea (makes me what to add eyes and a carrot nose!). When it is uncovered, the hydrangea will already have started to leaf out. Try wrapping the plant with burlap or chicken wire and filling in the enclosure with leaves. Leave blooms on hydrangeas all winter long. If you are planning to grow a perennial in a pot, zone up to ensure success! This will give the plants extra moisture during the colder months. Cut a 4 foot diameter x 1" thick piece of Styrofoam and force inside the top of the fence, contacting the leaves.*. Hammer four 1″x1″ hardwood stakes around each plant, and use a staple gun to attach a perimeter of burlap or black landscape fabric to the posts. Fill this space with leaves (being careful not to knock off any buds). Protecting the hydrangea during winter is not always necessary. She says that each fall she "snips off the branches so they will fit under my snow cone. Hydrangeas are plants that need to be prepared and protected to survive the coldest and harshest winter temperatures. These can put an end to hydrangea buds and eliminate subsequent blooms. As mentioned above, leaves often settle during the winter, leaving delicate buds exposed. I tie them together with rope and then put the snow cone over. 8. While the hydrangea is small it will be easy to protect, but as it grows larger, the task will become much more difficult and may, in time, grow too tedious to continue. But if you just planted the hydrangea, you will have to protect it to get through the first winter! Almost all hydrangeas should be pruned in late winter or early spring, with the exception being the climbing hydrangea which is pruned after flowering in summer. If you have any tips or tricks to share with us, we would love to hear from you. Bob, in Massachusetts, has developed an interesting twist to the common method of protecting hydrangeas with an insulated cage. Mulching maintains soil temperature throughout winter, protecting the roots of the hydrangea. If you live in an area that gets freezing winter temperatures – as we do here in northern Utah – apply a 12-inch layer of mulch to insulate your hydrangea shrubs. Admittedly, large pots are difficult to handle, but hydrangeas will NOT do well in smaller pots. He states that the reasons for using Styrofoam over the cage is "the Styrofoam will protect the plant from severe freezing, as well as preventing snow from melting and saturating the leaves which would then freeze, encapsulating the hydrangea buds. When it’s time to stop deadheading hydrangeas, you need to start thinking about overwintering. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. I use bricks to hold down the cardboard, then I put leaves over it all, and then white insulating cloth, and finally more brick to hold it all down. Get the latest updates on new products and upcoming sales. Is it already freezing during fall? In this sense, know how to prepare the hydrangeas for the winter and protect them in the best possible way so that they appear beautiful and splendid in the spring. Branches and buds can dry out because of poor weather, the poor weather ensures that the roots no longer supply moisture. The snow cone is a purchased Styrofoam cone. AN UNUSUAL WAY TO PROTECT HYDRANGEAS - FLATTEN THEM ! Isn't this amazing? To make sure your hydrangea gets an energy boost out of winter, you should start preparing in fall. Even though the plants are dormant, they still need some hydration at their roots. As you refill the hole with soil, create a small water dam around the hydrangea. For those that don't have time to go to your local garden center or looking for something a little cheaper we were able to find some good options online. Sometimes, because potted hydrangeas may be too large to easily move, you have to keep them outside during winter. One gardener suggests that oak leaves are particularly effective insulation since they do not pack down like other material. The layer should be about 2-3 centimeters thick. You will find out in this article and more! Overwintering these types of hydrangeas indoors is difficult and usually not successful. I was told by an old German lady that owns one of the nurseries here to cover hydrangeas this way, and it does work. Do you live in an area where a lot of snow is falling in winter? This would probably kill them." In a container, your plants have less protection from the cold than they would have in the ground. This hydrangea has been growing in Sylvia's garden for 5 years. During the winter the hydrangea is a little bit more sensitive than during the warmer months. You can also insulate by wrapping burlap around the stakes. Walking on frozen ground may also lead to compaction of the soil, increasing drainage problems and potentially encouraging the onset of fungal diseases. This 'cage' should be filled with mulch to keep the hydrangea warm. Wrapping Hydrangeas can also sometimes be effective. Source: Prepare Hydrangeas For Winter. Bob was having difficulty with moisture seeping through the leaves and freezing on the plant. This way, the hydrangea doesn't give unnecessary energy to the dead branches. If the compost has been properly spread it will provide not just … (One reader suggested lining the inside of this cage with cardboard). Mulching Hydrangeas in winter. Make an A-Frame for Hydrangea Protection Snow can be a protective blanket in some cases or it can break and distort the stems when it is heavy and wet. Pull outer stems vertical (up) and tie them together. If not, your plant simply will not bloom come spring [source: Heuerman]. The easiest method involves circling the plant with four or five wooden stakes and wrapping it with chicken wire. Their roots are too aggressive and quickly fill the smaller pots. Sylvia gardens in Ontario, Canada. So if you live in a zone 4, for example, I would recommend that you select a plant variety that is hardy to zone 3. What a great idea! You want to exercise caution here and never cut the healthy wood, as this is typically where the new blooms form for the next season. Even if the winter you live through is more rain than snow or completely without snow, the chipping will provide needed protections from rodents and bunnies that will be foraging for food during the winter months. 4. 2. Here are a few ways to overwinter your plants. However, it can happen with tub plants, that the soil will completely freeze. In my very large previous garden I had quite a large collection of them. *Bob says that sheets of Styrofoam can be purchased at home goods department store in various thicknesses. After cutting back the hydrangea, you will have to protect it. Protect your container specimen through the winter with protective cover, like leaves, straw, and needles. If your hydrangea is smaller, a 2 foot or 3 foot diameter of Styrofoam may be cut. How to Make Sure Your Living Room Floor Matches Your Indoor Plants? If the mulch is right up against the stems, it encourages dampness, which can lead to root rot. In colder zones mulching protects and insulates the crown and roots of your hydrangeas from extreme winter temperatures; in warmer zones it helps keep moisture in and weeds out. If you follow these steps, the hydrangea will have even more beautiful blooms. Water your newly planted hydrangea as needed until frost. This will help collect the water and ensure the plant stays moist. It sounds like you are doing the right thing. These all-important bloom buds on branch ends should be protected with a layer of leaves or other material before covering. Weird winters with little snowfall and drastic temperature swings are detrimental to plants. Find a middle of the shrub, gently push down each side of the plant (groups of branches) towards the ground, cover each with cardboard. Sink the pot in the ground, if it is an all weather non-decorative container, to protect the roots from the cold. Hydrangeas require a thick layer of mulch to protect them properly throughout the winter. In fall you should add some compost to the soil. The hydrangea is a plant that can survive through winter and is not sensitive to low temperatures or even a freeze. You can prevent this by protection the hydrangea. 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