Covering Outdoor Garden Containers and Birdbaths with Burlap for the Winter
You know winter is near when various ornamental vessels around my Bedford, New York farm are covered in burlap.
As many of you know, I've been covering shrubs and hedges with burlap for many years to protect them from splaying and breaking from the weight of snow and ice. I have shared posts showing our annual process. I feel it is equally important to protect my outdoor garden ornaments from the harsh winter elements. A winter freeze, alternating with thaws, could crack or crumble any kind of stone or cement, especially if it is antique. During this time, all my outdoor planters, birdbaths, stanchions, etc., are covered in the same burlap used for my live specimens. This year, we started with the giant containers and birdbaths in my cobblestone stable courtyard.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- I have many outdoor containers and garden ornaments that are covered and protected with burlap and kept in their respected locations for the duration of the cold season. Here is a group of birdbaths and planters that sit outside the stable office where my business manager, property manager, and operations manager work.
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- Because stone, cement, and clay-based materials can crack from exposure to the winter elements, it’s important to protect them from all sides. The first thing we do is cover the large opening with a piece of plywood. The crew cuts any spare plywood into rounds to fit over various pieces.
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- The plywood is also painted my signature “Bedford Gray.”
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- Then, the urns and birdbaths are covered with industrial strength plastic. This plastic was saved from one of the old hoop house skins. I encourage my crew to always reuse, repurpose, and recycle whenever possible.
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- Pete measures and cuts the plastic to size. This plastic is very durable and thick.
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- And I instructed Pete to make sure he wraps everything completely – that means underneath it as well. Here is one of the large urns with the plastic pulled underneath.
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- Then Pete pulls the plastic over the top and the plywood cover. This plastic will protect the vessel and keep it dry. Doing this lengthens the process, but it’s worth it. These planters are in great condition and continue to be planted every spring.
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- When we can, we reuse burlap from seasons past; however, it is also available in giant rolls of 40-inches or 60-inches wide. Also called hessian, burlap is made in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India from jute, a tall, grass-like plant grown for its strong fibrous stalks.
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- Pete cuts the burlap fabric to fit – one long piece that can completely wrap around the urn.
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- Here is the burlap draped over a plastic covered container.
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- To sew the burlap, we use jute twine. It is all natural and the same color as the burlap.
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- These needles are specially designed for sewing jute. These five-inch long needles have large eyes and bent tips. Every member of my outdoor grounds crew has a needle.
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- Pete wraps this entire vessel from top to bottom with the burlap, tucking it all in underneath.
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- Then he makes small stitches and knots to keep the burlap in place.
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- Next, Pete sews the entire edge closed. The burlap should be sewn tightly, but with some space for air circulation.
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- Pete stitches the top of the fabric together pulling the burlap snug all around the pot.
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- There is a lot of tucking involved to make it neat, and a lot of stitching and knotting, but my crew has been covering these containers with burlap every year for quite some time – they are all excellent burlap sewers.
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- Because the burlap is exposed to the elements for several months, Pete does this task very carefully. The ends at the top are folded over in the same way a gift is wrapped and then sewn closed.
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- Pete looks up quickly to smile at the camera. Depending on the size of the pot and how much sewing is needed, each piece takes about 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Burlap is so useful for many gardening projects – it is inexpensive, biodegradable, and the color and texture of burlap is so pretty to use.
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- And in the end, they look like pieces of burlap art. Here is the front of the stable office – the urns and birdbaths look so neat and tidy. There is still so much “burlapping” to do around the farm. The project continues with all the many boxwood shrubs and hedges that will be covered in the weeks ahead.
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