just wondering ... don't the branches break when you push down to ground? And do they pop back upright in spring? I'm looking for an easier way than wrapping in burlap and stuffing with leaves.

Hi jerseygirl, you’ll be surprised they bent pretty easily....I usually put cardboard down then bent and pin, cover with leaves... warning when removing the leaves(late April) be careful, you don’t want to lose any buds...as you see from the picture they bounce right back

I wasn't going to bother to protect these (3 ES original, 2 Bloomstrucks and 2 TwistNShouts)..but the weather's been mild and as I was raking I had a ton of dry oak leaves..so I conned my husband to help me do this..the bags are a little short..out of black ones but I think they would block the path anyway..there's a few stems sticking up..this is out of the wind and east facing..it could work couldn't it?..the black bags are covering cannas and bananas..oh what don't we do for our plants lol..

Nichols, looks good, should work..... bagging is a lotta work....oh my aching back LOL

saved the work of making an enclosure by using bags..thinking about putting boxes(?)over the stems that stick up..

The ends of the stems is where the invisible flower buds reside for early Spring blooms; if you are trying to get those blooms, winter protect the ends of the stems.

Most of mine are dormnant or close to it. Leave down or gone, buds are brown.

I've got a couple of prickly upshoots on one. They are sticking out about 8-10 inches from the grown. They refuse to go to sleep. Green buds and all

6 of the 7 shrubs were planted there this summer..all of them had ugly shapes..I left the stems to create food for the plant thinking that when they've grown more I would prune them..the day that we put the bags around them I considered cutting them off but hated too..I'll figure something out..

a1an..my buds are green..my leaves shriveled about 2 weeks ago..some are still hanging on but most have fallen off..

Heh. Mine was all in full on late fall vibrancy until about 4 weeks back when the jack frost zapped the northeast. It's just these new upshoots. They are like my toddlers. Got energy that just won't give up

One of mine had tiny green shoots at the base..I'm jealous of people that don't have cold winters..

Very clever! Hope it works!

1st snowfall of the season for tomorrow. Was just going around, making sure all was good around the yard. Those pesky new upshoots. No sign of hardeing off and green buds galore. Here's hoping a lil snowfall will make these upshoots go to sleepp

Hee hee hee. I was taking my mother for a medical procedure yesterday and we saw snow flurries. Very few, mind you but a few. I guess you could say they were tiny leftovers from snow in San Anton earlier. First freezing temps during the morning hours today too. Many plant leaves now looking "sad". ;o)

Heh. With the white stuff falling down ,Just a reminder to finish my summer 2017 punch list items so I can eventually get to the burlap

a1an..woke up to our first snow..was this your first snow?..where do you live?..what do you cover with the burlap?..

I'm always working off a laundry list of to do's. Heh, out Miele laundry washer broke. I fixed that. 2 weeks later, the dishwasher goes out. Not looking to play Mr. Handyman on that.

Depending on the shape, size, either burlap and twine or just 4 stakes, a ad-hoc cage of either stapled burlap or chicken wire and leaves. The ones with leaves are done ...it's just the ones that need some twine I've been putting off.

winter's here for some of us..still don't know where you live but if snow is falling I would cover now..

Indeed. Time to cut some blossoms as well. Snow weight, etc. I thought it would be pretty winter interest, but in looking at how much all of them are leaning with the snow on them, better to cut them off than have snapped canes

Hi Nichols , I have asked a1an a number of questions as to what zone, location & climate and never seem to get a answer....? Always on to something else...