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Bright, lush clusters of flowering hydrangeas do not leave anyone indifferent. And no wonder. After all, this beauty blooms from spring to late autumn, decorating paths, gardens, flower beds. That’s just to achieve violent flowering is sometimes difficult. And the thing is that this thermophilic beauty reacts sharply to any deviations from the violation of the rules of care. Hydrangea is native to China and Japan. It is there that the largest number of species and varieties of this shrub is bred and grows.
Only now the climatic conditions in these countries are strikingly different from the severe frosts. Therefore, the conditions for growing and caring for hydrangeas in Our Country are much more complicated. Disputes among gardeners about whether the shrub needs shelter and how to cover the hydrangea for the winter have been going on for several decades. There is no single answer to this day. The reason is trivial – in different regions of our large country the climate is different. The features of growing different varieties of hydrangeas are also different. Let’s take a closer look at both aspects.
Should I cover the hydrangea in the fall
Do I need to cover the hydrangea for the winter? There is no definitive answer to this question for two reasons:
- Different varieties of hydrangeas tolerate lowering and temperature changes in different ways.
- Climatic conditions in each region of Our Country are very different.
Therefore, immediately before shelter, read the detailed information about the frost resistance and features of growing a particular plant variety, as well as the climatic conditions and rainfall in your area. This will help you make the right decision about which hydrangea shelter to choose for the winter.
Winter hardiness of different varieties
Of all the varieties of hydrangea, the large-leaved one needs shelter the most. It does not have sufficient frost resistance, and therefore it must be covered with special care and diligence. Many gardeners, even with high-quality shelter, find a few frozen young shoots in early spring. This must be taken into account when carrying out autumn work on caring for hydrangeas. Additional protection from frost is given to hydrangea bushes by snowdrifts. The height of the snow blanket can reach up to 70 cm, but take into account the age and growth of the plant so that the branches do not break under the weight of snow.
But tree-like varieties are more frost-resistant. They can easily endure winter frosts down to -25˚C -30˚C without a sufficiently warm shelter. But it is still better for her to provide minimal shelter. To do this, before frosts, you need to rake the bush and mulch the near-trunk circle. At the same time, it is still desirable to bend shrubs to the ground after autumn pruning.
Paniculata hydrangea can be quite often found in household plots due to its high frost resistance and unpretentiousness in care. It perfectly tolerates frosts down to -30˚С with minimal shelter – a mulched near-trunk circle that protects the root system from freezing.
By the way, both paniculate and tree hydrangeas with such a shelter can freeze young shoots. But in both varieties, shrubs quickly recover after severe frosts.
Hydrangea age
The age of hydrangea bushes is also an important factor. The fact is that young seedlings have not yet adapted to local climatic conditions, especially if they were brought from another region, or ordered by mail. Hydrangea bushes need at least 5 years to fully adapt.
Even if the seedlings are grown in your area or even on your site, they are still very weak and will not be able to endure harsh winters well without your help. At least up to 4 years of age, hydrangea bushes of any variety need careful shelter.
Climatic conditions of the growing region
Climatic conditions in each region are very different. Therefore, such an important stage in care as sheltering hydrangeas for the winter should be approached carefully and deliberately. In addition to the variety and age of the plants, it is necessary to take into account how low the temperature limit is in your area during the winter period, as well as how much snow falls throughout the winter.
If the winters in your area are warm, then the hydrangea shelter is not required, a small layer of mulch under the bushes is enough. But this is only if the minimum temperature in winter is -10˚С -1 5˚С. These indicators are typical for the southern regions of Our Country.
When the thermometer drops below -20˚С -25˚С, you need to take care of more thorough protection of the shrub. In this case, it is still desirable to cover the hydrangea bushes. This temperature regime is typical for the regions of central Our Country and the Moscow region.
But if winter frosts at -35 ° C -45 ° C are the norm for your area and this temperature can last for several weeks, you need to approach the shelter process with special diligence and provide the bushes with the most reliable protection. Such severe frosts are not uncommon for the inhabitants of the Urals and Siberia.
When choosing a shelter, it is important to remember that the flowering of a shrub directly depends on how well it will endure the winter. At the slightest freezing, there is a chance that the bushes will stop blooming. This fact has been repeatedly recorded by experienced experts and gardeners.
Ways to hide hydrangeas
Before solving the pressing problem: is it worth it to cover the hydrangea in winter and how to do it correctly, it is important to familiarize yourself with the basic methods and choose the most suitable one, depending on the plant variety and place of growth. There are two types of shelters: with bending branches to the ground and in a standing position.
Shelter material
When choosing a method and materials, it is important to adhere to one rule: it must be breathable. In this hydrangea is very demanding. With a small accumulation of moisture under the material, debate and decay of branches and shoots inevitably begin.
Here is just a small list of insulation materials that are suitable for this purpose:
- Sawdust;
- dry foliage;
- Lapnik;
- Sackcloth;
- Spunbond;
- Lutrasil;
- Old jackets, blankets;
- Ruberoid.
But it is better not to use these materials when sheltering hydrangeas:
- Polyethylene film;
- PVC bags.
They prevent air exchange, the plant practically does not breathe.
We bend the branches
Usually, when preparing plants for winter, gardeners use improvised materials. If you decide to insulate your shrubs by bending branches and shoots to the ground, it is important to remember that shoots cannot be laid directly on the ground. It is necessary to lay a heat-insulating layer under them, which will protect the branches from wet soil and freezing. Old boards or spruce branches are best suited for this. The main thing is that the boards are dry, without signs of decay.
Here are just a few tricks that will help you cover your hydrangea for the winter:
- Nail large nails in several places on the boards in advance. When laying hydrangea branches, tie them to nails. From above, throw pine or spruce branches, you can cover the bent shoots with dry foliage. So that this structure does not scatter at the first gusts of wind, cover the hydrangea with burlap or lutrasil. This method is great for sheltering hydrangeas for the winter in the Moscow region.
- Many gardeners use small metal staples or hooks to secure shoots bent to the ground. Otherwise, all actions are similar to the previous method.
- This method using sawdust and roofing material is the most reliable. Lay spruce branches, boards or dry foliage on the ground. Lay hydrangea branches on top in small bunches. On top, lay another layer of spruce branches, then cover with burlap. Fill everything with sawdust, and lay the roofing material tightly on top. This method is most suitable for the Ural region and Siberia, where severe frosts are not uncommon.
With the advent of spring, hydrangea bushes need to be released gradually, removing layer by layer from the branches at regular intervals.
Hydrangea shelter without bending branches
Not every variety of hydrangea boasts shoot flexibility. In this case, the shrubs cover without bending the shoots to the soil.
- As far as possible, tie the branches of the shrub with a rope into one large bundle.
- Wrap it with lutrasil in one or two layers.
- Install a frame from improvised material around the bush, it is important that its surface is mesh. A metal or plastic mesh is well suited for this purpose. In height, the frame should be 15-20 cm higher than the bush.
- Fill the resulting cylinder or pyramid with dry foliage to the very top. The entire structure must be covered with spandbond, lutrasil or burlap. If the winters in your area are frosty, cover the bushes with additional roofing material.
If building a frame is a difficult task for you, you can use ready-made structures. Their installation does not take much time, moreover, they are designed for many years of use and greatly facilitate the hard work of gardeners.
In this video you will see how to properly cover the hydrangea
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, hydrangea reacts very sharply to a lack of attention and care. And most often this is immediately reflected in flowering. Take the time and effort for this, even a capricious and whimsical plant, and it will surely thank you with the onset of spring with bright and lush flowers.