Burlapping My Boxwoods
I feel strongly that if you want your boxwoods and other shrubs to look healthy in the springtime, it’s essential to wrap them in burlap to protect them from the elements. The burlap really helps to keep off heavy snow and ice, which can easily break branches. It also provides a barrier to cut down on windburn. In addition, burlap coverings keep out deer and other hungry critters. Because those animals cannot see through the cloth, they will likely go elsewhere in search of a meal. I also really enjoy the way my shrubs look in the landscape, covered like this in the winter.
My grounds’ keepers have been doing a fabulous job at wrapping my many boxwoods and shrubs. First, they erect a bamboo frame around individual shrubs or rows of shrubs. Starting at the bottom, they begin wrapping the burlap and secure it in place by stapling it to the bamboo frame. Moving upwards, they hand-sew the next wrap of burlap in place using a special 6-inch needle threaded with twine, stapling to the bamboo as they proceed. These steps continue until the entire shrub, or row of shrubs is concealed, safely and neatly.
This is the bamboo framing around my English Boxwood border.
Here is more framing leading to the entrance of my stables.
The bamboo framing is joined together using twine.
Here is a tall boxwood being encased in its winter protection
This is how the widths of burlap are joined together. I wonder if the wives of my grounds’ keepers know what good hand stitchers their husbands are?
Here is one section of my property all set for the cold winter.
I asked Jodi how much, in the way of supplies, was ordered this year and she gave me these amounts:
Burlap:
22 rolls of 6’x100’
8 rolls of 4’x100’
Bamboo:
20 bundles of 50 at 9’ tall
4 bundles of 50 at 12’ tall
Twine:
About 96 rolls
I wonder if this will be enough……
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