Weekend chores: buy bubble wrap
Bubble wrap for your containers? Whoda thought?
The New York Botanical Garden blogger, Sonia Uyterheoven, has written about protecting plants for winter. And with the prediction that this will be a harsh winter, it might be prudent to listen up.
For roses, she advises, "hill them up" with 6-8 inches of mulch in late November when it is clear they are dormant.
Hydrangeas, especially the big-leaf varieties, flower on old wood. This means that the plant develops its flower buds on the previous year's growth. Harsh weather can disrupt the setting of the buds.
So Sonia advises building a windbreak for hydrangeas in exposed areas. "Place 5 or 6 stakes around the plant and wrap with burlap." Leave the top open -- snow is a great insulator.
Containers?? "The simplest answer is bubble wrap." Garden centers sell a horticultural version that has a silver foil lining, she writes.
Insulate the hearty containers after their freeze, the half-hardy ones before they freeze. Secure with garden twine. If possible, she writes, tie the bubble wrap over the top of the container, pulling it around the base of the plant so that the soil in the containers is covered. This will help protect it from the freezing and thawing cycle in February.
"If your container is not hardy, place it in an unheated garage so that it can go dormant for the winter."
Ok. Here's my question. I planted succulents in a strawberry jar this summer and I'd like to try to keep them over the winter. I am pretty sure they are not hardy or even half-hardy.
Does that mean I bubble-wrap the jar AND put it in the garage?
Any advice from succulent growers out there? I am Maryland, zone 7-ish.
Photo credit: Baltimore Sun/Susan Reimer
Comments
Bubble wrap around containers is preposterous!
Given the fact that bubble wrap is claer and allows for passage of solar rays it will act as a greenhouse and heat up the container. Just like getting into your car on a sunny winter afternoon. Then when the sun drops below the horizon the container quickly assumes air temperature. This bubble wrap idea will accelerate the freeze thaw cycle not eliminate it.
I am a garden center operator and have seen the foil wrapped version sold as a garden product. The product I think the "expert" is talking about is "Reflectix" an insulation product that reflects 97% of radiant heat. I doubt that even Reflectix will do much to save containers from freeze and thaw cycles. A chicken wire enclosure filled with straw then wrapped with burlap will do a better job at a more affordable price and be more attractive than litle space ships in the back yard.
Hey Greg! Thanks for the advice....--Susan
Posted by: greg draiss | October 30, 2009 8:11 PM
If you have covered window wells, you might try what works for one of my gardening friends. She simply places her pots of geraniums and what have you in the window wells for the winter. This works best if they are not in direct sun or too much shade. Cut the plants back and water well before moving the pots.
Wow. What a great idea!--Susan
Posted by: Dahlink | November 1, 2009 12:15 PM