Am I over wintering correctly?

18 years ago

I have read probably every post about Hydrangeas and over wintering. I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed learning about Hydrangeas through everyone's personal experience. It's so much better then reading about it in books.

I have had Oakleaf Hydrangea and H. Bluebird for a while and didn't do anything special for winter prep. They bloomed OK. This past summer I saw an incredible flower on a Teller's Blue and had to have it. I figured it was a florist plant because the stems looked thicker and it was in a different pot then the rest of the plants at Lowes. That plant has become the main trigger for my Hydrangea addiction and the hydrangea posts are my enabler.

If you will, please read my overwinter plan and give me your thoughts. Thanks in advance.

3 little teller blues' I put a cage around each, mulched it with pine needles (careful not to pile on base of trunk) and plan to do the "Hayseedman in the ground theory" of piling black thick plastic bags that are 1/4 to 1/2 filled with leaves around the plant- open end down, and leaving spaces for air circulation.

Should I put a bag on the top of the plant or just the sides?

Does this plan have potential for working? Do I understand this correctly, the roots are cold hardy and it is the late frost when buds are coming out of dormancy that the damage is most lucky to occur?

I also have Hyd 'Beni-gaku', 'Jogasaki', 'Nikko', 'Lady in red', and 'Annabelle'. Should I do the same winter prep for any of these? I think 'Nikko' might need some protection. Please lend me your expertise. Thanks.

Ally

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

luis_pr
18 years ago
Hello, Ally. While I do not overwinter this far south, the bags act as an insulating material that protect the plant from cold drying winter winds. As such, I would also put something on top (leaves for example) since that is where snow would accumulate and were winds would try to "sneak" in. Try to have some distance between the cage and the end of the stems; the more distance, the more protection the leaves give to the stems.

And yes, the roots should be able to withstand the winter due to warmth of the soil and the use of mulch. Late frosts in spring and early ones in fall are the ones which can cause problems for your stems and flower buds that bloom on old wood.

Regarding the questions about the individual varieties, they are good to your zone so no overwintering techniques are required....

Mountain hydrangea Benigaku is good to Zone 6; the elegant Fireworks Pink, a.k.a. Jogasaki, is good to either Zone 5 or 6 (depending on where you check); Macrophyllas Nikko Blue and Lady in Red are also good to your zone... Nikko is good to Zone 5 and Lady to Zone 6; Arborescens cultivars like Annabelle bloom on new wood. Because all of those are good to Zone 6, you do not have to apply overwintering techniques unless there are micro-climates in your garden that force you to do that. For those, all I would do is make sure they have 3-4 inches of mulch through the drip line or a little further and -if the ground does not freeze and it is dry- I would water them once every two weeks or so during the winter.

Does that help you?
Luis
ally_ld
Original Author
18 years ago
Luis thank you for organizing all the scattered info I have on Hydrangeas and simplifying it for my particular needs.

Also, I read your post dated June 1, o7 on 'Do Hydrangeas and Azaleas do well planted together' and your explanation was very through. I didn't know about Aluminum Sulphate toxicity to Azaleas and Rhododendrons.

I appreciate your wisdom. Thanks again.
Ally
Related Professionals
Orlando Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Champaign Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Kankakee Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Springfield Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Mesquite Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Leamington Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Dalton Landscape Contractors · Savannah Landscape Contractors · Newport News Landscape Contractors · Cedar Rapids Landscape Contractors · Fort Dodge Design-Build Firms · Greenfield Design-Build Firms · Flagstaff Design-Build Firms · Helena Design-Build Firms · La Grande Design-Build Firms
luis_pr
18 years ago
You're welcome, Ally. Hope you will have a great time during the holidays. We are still in the 70s here in the the Dallas Area so the hydrangeas have all their deep green leaves, some Encore azaleas have blooms out and roses keep doing their thing. Makes me feel odd answering questions about overwintering when I see all that through the windows in late November! Oh well! The weathermen think maybe by Thursday we could have the first hard freeze. Luis