How to prepare a weigela for winter: care in the fall, shelter when the temperature drops

Preparatory work

Weigela care in the fall includes a number of procedures that must be completed before the onset of cold weather. The strength of the plant’s immunity and the level of its frost resistance will depend on this. The list of necessary procedures includes pruning, top dressing, pest control, watering and mulching. Now we will describe each procedure in detail.

Video “How to care for weigela”

From this video you will learn how to properly care for weigela in the garden.

Pruning in autumn

In autumn, anti-aging pruning is carried out, aimed at stimulating the growth of shoots with the advent of spring. Keep in mind that pruning is carried out after flowering, and not right before shelter. In the second case, you will harm the plant. The procedure itself goes as follows:

1. All diseased and withered branches are cut off. An incision is made half a centimeter above the second living kidney.
2. Shoots that are poorly developed or grow inside the bush are also removed.
3. A third of the shoots are cut off so that the plant concentrates its forces on the formation of new branches with the advent of spring.
4. So that the plant does not lose its attractiveness, those shoots that creep along the ground are subject to removal.
5. The procedure is carried out with sharply sharpened secateurs. In no case should you break the shoots with your hands.
6. Be sure to disinfect the cut points – cover with garden pitch.

Application of fertilizers

One of the stages of weigela care in the autumn is top dressing. It is carried out after the pruning of the shrub has been completed. In the autumn, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are applied under the bush, which help the plant to accumulate a sufficient amount of energy. This contributes to the fact that with the advent of spring, weigela shoots grow more intensively, and it blooms more magnificently.

Mullein is excellent as a fertilizer. A solution is prepared from it, in which water and mullein are diluted in a ratio of 1:10. You can also fertilize the plant using wood ash at the rate of 200 g of powder per 1 sq. m. The remaining complex fertilizers are prepared on the basis of the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Protection against pests

In winter, weigela does not suffer from the invasion of beetles, however, rodents willingly eat this plant. In winter, hares and mice often wander into the area in search of food. They gnaw through branches and bark to get to the very core. After such visits, the chance of plants to survive the winter and bounce back with the advent of spring is almost zero.

Thus, the preparation of weigela also implies protection from rodents. For these purposes, special mesh barriers are installed around the bushes. Another option is to wrap the plant in burlap so pests can’t get to it.

Some advise using special repellents that are used to treat bushes. A specialist store will tell you which repellents work best and how to apply them correctly. For greater efficiency, it is recommended to treat the weigela more than once, but to do several sprays during the season.

Organization watering

Some people think that watering is only required during growth and flowering periods, but this is not the case. It is equally important to water the plant before wintering so that the roots are saturated with moisture. Although if your area gets a lot of rain in the fall, the soil and root zone will get enough moisture to overwinter. In this case, the procedure is not required. However, in all other cases, watering is required.

In dry weather, the plant requires weekly watering. You can determine the time yourself, based on how quickly the soil under the bush dries up. Such watering helps the soil retain heat, which is a decisive factor in the onset of frost.

Mulching

The importance of mulch is greatly underestimated. Meanwhile, a dense layer of mulch will help the soil retain heat, and the roots will not stop growing even during severe frosts. And if there is a significant drop in temperatures in the region, the mulch protects the root system from thawing or freezing. In the absence of a protective layer, the roots can come out of the ground in frost or be mechanically damaged.

As a mulch, you can use straw, which is laid in a layer of 10-15 cm. You can also use compost, which is laid out in the root zone. Top the compost with wood chips. Thus, the plant is protected from weeds, and the layer of humus perfectly prevents decay processes that may occur.

Shelter Tips

Now let’s move on to the next step in preparing the plant for winter – shelter. Weigela shelter for the winter is a task of paramount importance, since this plant does not tolerate severe frosts.

Regarding how to cover the weigela, there are several ways that you can use.

The first way:

1. Carefully gather the shoots into one “sheaf” and tie with twine. You have to be careful not to break anything.
2. Now the branches are wrapped in burlap or other similar material (agrofabric, spandbond).
3. With the help of a stapler, its ends are fixed so that it looks like a cover in which the weigela is located.
4. Several buckets of soil or compost are poured into the root zone to make a small hill.

The second method (suitable for flexible plants):

1. The bush is wrapped with twine not in the middle, but on top.
2. A bucket half-filled with sand is tied to one of the shoots at the top so that it pulls the plant down. In this position, it should stay for several hours. During this time, it will fall to the ground.
3. Now you need to fix the shoots with bricks or metal studs. Also, the shoots are tied with twine in several more places.
4. Shoots that are on the ground are covered with a layer of earth. The height of such an embankment should be at least 30–40 cm.
5. The trunk circle is additionally insulated using compost or soil.

Emphasis on climatic conditions

Weigela can be covered in different ways, depending on the region.

In some cases, it will be enough just to sprinkle with earth or snow, but in others it will be necessary to wrap the plant in burlap. It depends on the air temperature in winter.

In the central regions of our country (for example, in the Moscow region), the frame method is used for shelter. The shoots are bent to the ground, and frame arcs are installed above them, which, in turn, are covered with a non-woven material that provides reliable protection.

In the regions of the Volga region, the branches are bent down and covered with soil. This method has been described in detail above.

In the northern regions, only frost-resistant varieties are planted, because only they are able to endure severe frosts. Warm them up to the max. The root zone is mulched, the shoots are tied, laid on the ground, and wrapped in dense material.

But in the south you don’t need to try too hard with warming. It will be enough to pour a small hill of earth under the trunk, and thoroughly mulch the root zone.

Common mistakes

Of course, many gardeners make mistakes that can cost the plant its life. Here is a list of what not to do:

1. Do not cover the weigela before the onset of cold weather. Temperature fluctuations contribute to the decay of the bush.
2. Do not cover shoots if they are wet. So the process of decay will destroy the shrub during the winter.
3. Do not use polyethylene film as a covering material. It does not allow air to pass through, and the plant begins to rot.
4. Do not overdo it with watering or fertilizing. In the first case, monitor the condition of the soil, and in the second, strictly follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Do not damage the roots of the plant if you dig up the soil around it in the fall.

List of hardy varieties

There are a number of frost-resistant varieties of this plant that take root in the coldest regions of our country:

• weigela early;
• Weigela Middendorff;
• weigela blooming;
• weigela garden.

We examined the process of preparing weigela for winter, as well as various ways to shelter the plant. Now you can provide your plant with an excellent wintering.