2016 Winter Tips / Observations...

10 years ago

As if no one could already tell, this winter is looking to be a "polar" opposite of the last two, with northern North America being much warmer than average due to El Nino. In fact, the conditions have been reported to be the mildest in 70 years in many places! In my opinion, this is boding well for H macs and cousins.

And things are looking good in the North, for a couple reasons in particular.
-Big bud formation on big stalks has taken place, because most plants were killed to the ground last winter. Next year's buds are quite large and healthy looking, because that's where the plants' energy went in 2015
-A mild Fall without many '"shocking" freezes has allowed these buds to properly harden off so they're (a) not already dead and (b)*should* be a bit more resilient when the bigger freezes hit in Jan/Feb.

General winter protection tips:
-Pile up a bit of mulch or any dead plant matter around the crowns, like usual. This year I simply cut off the dead blooms from all families of hydrangea and threw them on the macs! At some point the ground will be frozen solid at crown level, so basic protection measures are always somewhat necessary.
-DON'T enshroud any plants in any kind of enclosure until you happen to see a string of single-digit temps (F) approaching (Normally you would've already just done this, but I'd wait an extra few weeks to a month, or skip this altogether for 2016) - OR - if you anticipate many Spring freezes after the plants break dormancy (we didn't get many if any in 2015)
-Basic work should still be done to keep deer etc. from eating buds or tramping canes; depends on how much damage your particular property is prone to sustaining

Thoughts / Conclusions
-Protection work should be minimal/minimized this season, to a case-by-case basis.
-Blooming for 2016 should be stronger than '15, all the way across the board, due to the ebb in the Pacific Ocean temperature.
-Naturally, blooming in USDA zones 3-5 won't be as strong as 6 and above, but that's common sense.

Sweat and fret not! Your plants have already grown larger above and below ground - they will have a fighting chance, and given a mild enough winter they WILL perform!

Featured Answer

ruth_mi

10 years ago

Well, nicholsworth, I hope I didn't steer you wrong. This is the strangest start to a winter I remember. I can't be sure, but I really think they'll be fine and be blooming (assuming enough sun) for us next summer!

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Comments (8)

ruth_mi
10 years ago
I'm curious - how did you arrive at your conclusion to only cover for single digits? Do you know of people who have tested this through zone 5 winters with many weeks (even if not all in a row) of lows in the low double-digits or even low 20's?
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
10 years ago
I'm one that enshrouded my variegated hydrangea as the temperatures steadily approached freezing here in coastal Massachusetts, zone 6b. Last winter was unusually cold and bundling up got the hydrangea through the winter without die-back although it didn't bloom this year.

I figured I'd protect it really well this year and maybe it would bloom next year. I didn't count on a few light frosts and then the temperature rebounding into the 50's daytime and above freezing at night for the whole month of December.

I've been gnashing my teeth but I was afraid that if I took off the protection the hydrangea would think it was spring and sprout, to be killed off when the real cold comes (assuming it will in January or February).

Did I make the right decision or should I have taken the snow suit off and let the variegated hydrangea see sun and warm air for a month and then get badly hit by real cold?

I have a Blue Billow hydrangea that's perfectly hardy here but the variegated hydrangea seems to be borderline.

Thanks,

Claire
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nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
10 years ago
I live in Indianapolis IN. Have nonblooming macrophylla hyds. Covered 6 ES for the first time. Used big leaf bags filled with leaves. Put 2 others in pots in large bags packed with leaves. They are in my shed. All of them had good looking buds but shriveled leaves when I covered them. Since then the weather has been great but I've left them covered. I've seen people on GW from TN, NC, MI & GA (not even sure if this is every place that I saw)with nonblooming hyds. So aggravating! Spring freezes cause problems too. So what do we do?
ruth_mi
10 years ago
Mine are covered, and I'm glad they are. The extended warm periods bother me a little, but we've also had temps in the low 20's and more of those coming this week. I've covered mine for the last few years. I purposely cover only the bottom couple feet. (I don't want them to be too tall for their spot.) Every year, I get die back and zero blooms above where I cover, but lots of June blooms on the covered part of the branches.
nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
10 years ago
Hi Ruth - used your advice weeks ago! Glad the work is over & that mine r covered. COLD temps will be here soon. Was funny that the first time I covered mine we had weeks of abnormally warm temps...
nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
10 years ago
I think so too. I wasn't about to uncover them after tying the stems & carefully packing the leaves around them. Took hours - I'm slow. I'll feel great about it next week when it's freezing.
jemboysch
10 years ago
Strange is right! I took my cuttings (from unknown Macs last summer) into my unheated garage last week as two (of the 10) looked like they got zapped from a freeze and the temps were expected to plummet into the 20's. So the 2 still not looking great but a couple of the rest have growing buds. One emerging from the roots has unfurling leaves. It was 70 + on Christmas eve here in Toms River, NJ. I havent winter protected my established hydrangeas yet but see temps are expected to get more seasonal after the new year so will next week. But some of these also have greening buds as well. None opening like the garaged cuttings but worried I'm going to uncover very yellowed growth next spring. Don't know what will happen to my cuttings.