Protecting My Boxwood Allee in Winter, Part 1

January 4, 2020

Protecting My Boxwood Allee in Winter, Part 1

The great “burlapping" project continues at the farm.

As many of you know, I’ve been covering my boxwood shrubs and hedges with burlap for many years. The practice insulates the plants and keeps them safe from damaging winds, heavy snows, and freezing temperatures. With all the boxwood specimens around my farm, this process takes several weeks to complete. The biggest part of the project is down by the stable, at my long Boxwood Allee. In the past, we’ve covered this allee using burlap and teepee-like frames constructed out of bamboo. A few years ago, we began using stronger materials such as wooden stakes and metal frames under the burlap. This year, I decided to use the same metal used to make hoop houses - strong industrial steel ground uprights and purlin pipes. These materials would not only provide the necessary support for the burlap but would also accommodate the growing boxwood. I ordered all the piping from Growers Solution, a family-owned business in Cookeville, Tennessee and one of the leading greenhouse manufacturing and supply companies in the country. I also enlisted the help of Carlos Triguero and his crew from Trigueros Family Farm Inc. in nearby Brewster, to move the antique fencing behind the boxwood to make room.

Enjoy these photos.

: My long Boxwood Allee extends from the east paddocks and the woodland carriage road to the stone stable. It has developed beautifully over the years, growing larger every season.

: The pasture fencing is 100-year-old white spruce railings from Canada dropped between cedar uprights that were pounded into the ground. I decided the fencing behind the boxwood on both sides would be moved 10-feet back to accommodate the growing shrubs.

: The cedar upright supports were dug up and discarded. Many of them had deteriorated over time – these posts were definitely in need of replacing.

: Here, one can see how deep the cedar posts were. Removing them was all done by hand so as not to disturb the boxwood plantings.

: One side of upright supports is removed. Next, the horizontal railings and vertical posts on the other side of the fence are removed in the same careful manner.

: Each horizontal piece of antique fencing is carefully lifted and piled nearby. These pieces are still in excellent condition.

: And then all the nails are manually pulled. Because these fences surround my horse paddocks, it is very important to ensure all the nails are collected from the posts and the surrounding area.

: All the nails are kept in a bucket – any nails that are still usable are saved.

: And then one by one, each hole is backfilled tightly – this is also important for the safety of the horses. When putting up a wood fence, keep in mind the natural life of the wood being used. Many fences are made of cedar, spruce, and pine. Depending on the species, cedar may last for about 15 to 30 years, spruce may last up to 10-years, and pine up to 12-years.

: Here, stakes and twine are put up where the new upright posts will be positioned.

: Each of the holes is made several feet deep using an auger connected to the tractor. An auger is a tool with a giant helical screw blade for boring holes for posts or trees.

: Here are some of the new upright posts placed into the holes at the stable end of the Boxwood Allee. Fortunately, the weather has been mild these last couple of weeks, giving us ample time to put up our new protective structures.

: Here it is easy to see how far the fence was moved, giving the boxwood plenty of room for future growth.

: The horizontal railings are returned and the fence is back up – it looks like it was there all along. The other side of posts will go up next and the top of each vertical post will be trimmed. So many of you comment on how much you love the antique fencing around my farm. It has done so well over the years.

: Here are all the supplies needed for our new structures. In all, hundreds of ground stakes, purlin pipes, connectors, nuts, and bolts. Growers Solution sends everything needed to complete the custom project.

: These pipes are made from rolled galvanized 16 gauge industrial tubing.

: All the pieces are brought down to the Boxwood Allee using our Kubota tractor and bucket.

: To start the project, ground stakes are placed every four feet along the allee.

: Next, as with all our outdoor grounds projects, twine is put up to ensure all the holes for the ground pipes are installed evenly.

: The ground piping is pounded into the ground – each one about four to five feet from the next.

: The ground stakes are all lined up on this side of the boxwood – the same is done on the other side. These pieces are part of the “Dakota” greenhouse from Growers Solution.

: I ordered the 10-foot wide bow sections – this will last quite a while and give the boxwood a lot of room to grow. The allee is now all framed on both sides of the carriage road. Building the frame at least a foot taller than the boxwood protects any heavy snow from weighing down onto the tender foliage.

: Each piece is also hand-fitted to ensure everything is easy to install.

: All the framing looks terrific. Constructing the frame for the burlap takes several days, but the process is well worth the effort during cold snaps, high winds, and snowstorms.

: Chhiring installs the center pieces that support the bow sections from the top.

: These are called tension purlin brackets. They connect the center piping to the bow sections.

: Here is one already fastened to the bow section and the center peak.

: Here is a view from the center. Any snow that accumulates on top of the finished structures will slide down the sides. Additional horizontal supports are available if using these structures as greenhouses.

: Smaller stakes are pounded into the ground next to each steel ground stake. These short wooden stakes provide points at which the burlap can be secured.