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Bright, lush clusters of blooming hydrangea leave no one indifferent. And no wonder. After all, this beauty blooms from spring to late autumn, decorating paths, gardens, and flower beds. It’s just sometimes difficult to achieve vigorous flowering. And the whole point is that this heat-loving beauty reacts sharply to any deviations or 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 are bred and grow.
Only the climatic conditions in these countries are strikingly different from the harsh Russian frosts. Therefore, the conditions for growing and caring for hydrangea in Russia are becoming significantly more complicated. Disputes among gardeners about whether shrubs need shelter and how to cover hydrangeas for the winter have been going on for several decades. There is no clear answer to this day. The reason is trivial - the climate is different in different regions of our large country. The characteristics of growing different varieties of hydrangea are also different. Let's take a closer look at both aspects.
Is it worth covering hydrangeas in the fall?
Do I need to cover hydrangeas for the winter? There is no clear answer to this question for two reasons:
- Different varieties of hydrangeas tolerate low temperatures and temperature changes differently.
- Climatic conditions in each region of Russia are very different.
Therefore, immediately before sheltering, read the detailed information about frost resistance and the characteristics of growing a particular plant variety, as well as the climatic conditions and amounts of precipitation specifically in your region. 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 hydrangea varieties, 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 several frozen young shoots in early spring. This must be taken into account when carrying out autumn work on caring for hydrangea. Snow drifts provide additional protection from frost to hydrangea bushes. 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 the snow.
But tree varieties are more frost-resistant. They can easily endure winter frosts down to –25˚С –30˚С without sufficiently warm shelter. But it is still better to provide her with minimal shelter. To do this, before frost, you need to rake the bush and mulch the tree trunk circle. It is still advisable to bend the shrubs to the ground after autumn pruning.
Paniculata hydrangea can be found quite often in garden plots due to its high frost resistance and ease of care.It tolerates frosts well down to –30˚С with minimal shelter – a mulched tree trunk, which protects the root system from freezing.
By the way, both paniculata and tree hydrangeas can have young shoots freeze with such shelter. 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 region or even on your site, they are still very weak and will not be able to withstand harsh winters well without your help. At least until 4 years of age, hydrangea bushes of any variety need careful shelter.
Climatic conditions of the growing region
The climatic conditions in each region are very different. Therefore, such an important stage in care as covering hydrangeas for the winter must be approached carefully and thoughtfully. In addition to the variety and age of the plants, it is necessary to take into account the low temperature limit in your region during the winter, as well as how much snow falls throughout the winter.
If the winters in your region are warm, then covering the hydrangea 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 Russia.
When the thermometer drops below –20˚С –25˚С, you need to take care of more careful protection of the bush. In this case, it is still advisable to cover the hydrangea bushes. This temperature regime is typical for the regions of central Russia and the Moscow region.
But if winter frosts of –35˚С –45˚С are the norm for your area and this temperature can last for several weeks, the covering process must be approached with special diligence and the bushes must be provided with the most reliable protection. Such severe frosts are not uncommon for residents 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 survives the winter. At the slightest frost, there is a chance that the bushes will stop blooming. This fact has been repeatedly recorded by experienced experts and gardeners.
Ways to cover hydrangeas
Before solving the pressing problem: is it worth covering 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 branches bent 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 regard, hydrangea is very demanding. With a slight accumulation of moisture under the material, decay and rotting of branches and shoots inevitably begins.
Here is just a small list of insulating materials that are suitable for this purpose:
- Sawdust;
- Dry leaves;
- Lapnik;
- Sackcloth;
- Spunbond;
- Lutrasil;
- Old jackets, blankets;
- Ruberoid.
But it is better not to use these materials when covering hydrangeas:
- Polyethylene film;
- PVC bags.
They interfere with air exchange, the plant practically does not breathe.
Bend down 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 you cannot lay shoots 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 rotting.
Here are just a few techniques that will help you cover your hydrangea for the winter:
- Nail large nails onto the boards in several places in advance. When arranging hydrangea branches, tie them to nails. Place pine or spruce branches on top; you can cover the bent shoots with dry leaves. To prevent this structure from scattering at the first gusts of wind, cover the hydrangea with burlap or lutrasil. This method is great for covering 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 felt is the most reliable. Place spruce branches, boards or dry leaves on the ground. Place hydrangea branches on top in small bunches. Place another layer of spruce branches on top, then cover with burlap. Cover everything with sawdust, and lay roofing material tightly on top. This method is most suitable for the Ural region and Siberia, where severe frosts are not uncommon.
With the arrival of spring, hydrangea bushes need to be freed gradually, removing layer by layer from the branches at certain intervals.
Covering hydrangeas without bending branches
Not every hydrangea variety can boast of flexible shoots. In this case, the bushes are covered without bending the shoots to the soil.
- As much as possible, tie the branches of the shrub together with string into one large bundle.
- Wrap it with lutrasil in one or two layers.
- Install a frame made of available material around the bush; it is important that its surface is mesh. A metal or plastic mesh is good for this purpose. The height of the frame should be 15-20 cm higher than the bush.
- Fill the resulting cylinder or pyramid with dry leaves to the very top. The entire structure must be covered with spandbond, lutrasil or burlap. If winters in your region 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 will 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 a 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. Spare no time and effort on this, even a capricious and whimsical plant, and it will definitely thank you with the onset of spring with bright and lush flowers.
