Winter Shrub Covers: Protect Shrubs From Weather and Wildlife

While there are lots of shrubs that will do perfectly fine over the winter, sometimes they need a little help to make it through. And that may not be just as a result of cold temperatures. Hungry wildlife could be after some of those tender branches, too. My cedar hedges in the backyard are consistently turned into lollipops because the deer enjoy nibbling the lower branches if they pass through our yard. Winter shrub covers are a great way to protect vulnerable bushes. In this article, I’m going to share tips on choosing winter covers, and how to safely wrap your shrubs.

Most shrubs should be able to survive the winter without any protection, especially if they’re native to your area. (They’ve been chosen based on your growing zone/the average annual minimum temperatures of where you live.) However there are a few instances where you may want to consider protecting your shrubs in the fall.

There are a few reasons to protect shrubs with a winter cover in the garden.

Wind: Strong, frigid winter winds can affect shrubs, especially newly planted ones. Some properties have areas where the wind will just howl through, and you can tell which trees and shrubs have been tossed about by the wind. Winterburn can affect whole sections of a shrub.

Freezing temperatures: For newly planted shrubs, the roots and branches may be vulnerable during that first year, especially if they were planted in the fall. Roots need time to really get established in the ground. And winter dieback can happen when delicate stems and branches are adversely affected by harsh weather.

Sunscald: Younger trees and shrubs can be susceptible to sunscald. This can happen when a period of intense sun warms up the bark, stimulating