Protecting My Boxwood Allee in Winter, Part 2
My long Boxwood Allee is now completely covered in burlap and protected from the winter elements.
The weather here in the Northeast has been pretty mild, but we still have a couple more months of cold ahead. Every year, I enclose my boxwood with burlap to insulate the plants and keep them safe from damaging winds, heavy snows, and freezing temperatures. This season, I decided to try another method using the same metal frames typically produced for hoop houses - the strong industrial steel uprights and purlin pipes from Growers Solution in Cookeville, Tennessee, will last for many years.
Here are more photos of this year's "burlapping" process, enjoy.
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- One of the first signs of winter here at my Bedford, New York farm is the sight of burlap around various shrubs and hedges. Here at the Boxwood Allee, long sheets of burlap are unrolled and sewn together before draping over the metal frames.
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- We are able to reuse burlap covers for about three straight seasons. When it isn’t possible to use older pieces, we create new covers. Because the burlap comes in 48-inch wide and 60-inch wide rolls, it’s necessary to sew lengths of burlap, so it is wide enough to cover the boxwood. Burlap is relatively inexpensive and available at garden centers.
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- As with all the burlap projects on the farm, everything is sewn together with jute twine.
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- And all the sewing is done using five-inch long craft needles specifically made for working with jute – every member of the outdoor grounds crew has his own needle.
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- Chhewang sews the long sections together by hand – four lengths of burlap for each side.
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- Chhewang has excellent sewing skills – I’ve taught everyone on the outdoor grounds crew how to sew.
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- Here, it is easy to see how the sections are connected to create very wide burlap covers.
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- The burlap is then positioned alongside each side of the Boxwood Allee.
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- By each metal ground stake is a wooden stake. The burlap will be attached to the wooden stakes.
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- Chhewang ties the bottom edge of the burlap to the ground stakes to hold in place as it is being draped over the structure.
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- Chhiring starts pulling one end of the burlap over the metal framing. The heavy burlap is placed by hand over the frames, one section at a time.
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- Building the frame at least a foot taller than the boxwood protects any heavy snow from weighing down onto the tender foliage.
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- Pete uses one of the long metal poles to help get the burlap over the frame peaks.
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- Here is one side nearly all in place.
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- From the end, one can see how much room the boxwood has under the burlap. This will allow for good air circulation during the season.
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- At the ends, Pete secures zip ties to keep the burlap secure until it is sewn.
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- All the wooden stakes, strips and shims get reused from year to year. Even scraps of wood can be repurposed for various projects. The strips are about six to eight inches long – just long enough to accommodate two screws that will keep the burlap secure for the season.
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- Pete drops the smaller wooden strips along the allee in assembly-line fashion.
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- To make it taut, the burlap is pulled down and attached to the ground stakes using the strips and screws.
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- It looks very tidy once attached. Both the metal and wood stakes can be seen through the fabric.
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- Here is a finished section of the Boxwood Allee. The burlap still allows the boxwood to “breathe”, and get sunlight, which is important even during the colder months.
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- Here, you can see the seams where the burlap pieces were connected.
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- The other side of the burlap is also secured – these covers are done carefully, so it provides strong protection through the winter and until everything is removed again in spring.
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- Any extra burlap is gathered, pulled taut, neatly tucked in at the bottom, secured with zip ties, sewn together and fastened with more stakes, and strips.
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- Here is Dawa pulling it taut against the ground stakes.
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- And right behind him, Phurba screws in a wooden strip to keep it in place.
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- The taller boxwood shrubs are wrapped differently, with additional burlap to cover the top, following the shape of the shrub.
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- The last sections of the Boxwood Allee to be completed are the shorter sides facing the stable – here is one side all done.
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- And here is the Allee all finished. I’ve been “burlapping” for many years and find that this is really the most reliable way to protect my hedges and shrubs. Covering this allee with burlap gives me comfort that all will survive the winter unscathed.
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- We used the same framing up on my terrace parterre outside my Winter House.
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- Here, the fountains outside my Winter House Kitchen are also protected under the burlap.
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- And here is a view from my terrace parterre in front of my Winter house looking down at the Boxwood Allee. These coverings are very functional but also very pretty when complete. How do you protect your precious outdoor boxwood shrubs and hedges? I love hearing from you, so please let me know in the comments section below.
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