Time to Burlap My Long Boxwood Allée
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, the outdoor grounds crew is busy "burlapping" - a term we use for covering all my winter-sensitive boxwood with burlap.
I am a big supporter of "burlapping" shrubbery for the cold season. Burlap covers protect the tender branches from splaying and breaking under heavy ice and snow while shielding the foliage from strong winds. Burlap is also more effective than plastic because it allows air to circulate through the plants. It is a practice I've followed for many years, and I think it also provides a cozy and pretty look to the winter landscape. Last week, the crew finished the biggest part of this project - my long Boxwood Allée. And, it was done with a new additional tool, that helped to streamline our process even more.
Enjoy these photos.
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- I love boxwood, Buxus, and have hundreds of shrubs growing on my property. I use boxwood in borders and hedges, as privacy screens, as accent plants in my formal gardens, and of course in the long allée to my stable. Just before it gets really cold, my outdoor grounds crew begins the process of covering all the boxwood with burlap to protect them from the winter elements.
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- These pipes, which we keep organized in a back field where we store other supplies, are made from rolled galvanized 16 gauge industrial tubing. They are part of the framing supplies needed for our protective burlap covers. In all, hundreds of ground stakes, purlin pipes, connectors, nuts, and bolts are used for the project. They are actually the metal parts of greenhouse hoop houses.
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- To start, ground pipes are installed every four feet along the allée. These hollow pipes will anchor the supports. My long Boxwood Allée extends from the east paddocks and the woodland carriage road to the stone stable. It has developed beautifully over the years, growing larger every season.
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- Here, Phurba and Cesar carefully pound one of the pipes into place using a piece of wood to cushion and protect the pipe from being damaged.
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- Next, Chhiring secures the taller pipes inside the ground pipes all along the allée.
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- I ordered the 10-foot wide bow sections – this will last quite a while and give the boxwood a lot of room to grow. One can see how the framing is coming together.
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- These are called tension purlin brackets. They connect the center piping to the bow sections.
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- Here is Chhiring fastening one to the bow section and the center peak.
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- Smaller stakes are pounded into the ground next to each steel ground stake. These short wooden stakes provide points at which the burlap can be secured.
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- Constructing the frame for the burlap takes several days, but the process is well worth the effort during cold snaps, high winds, and snowstorms. Any snow that accumulates on top of the finished structures will slide down the sides.
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- The burlap gets reused from year to year whenever possible. When it is removed in spring, it is rolled up, labeled and then stored in the dry trailer barn until it is used again. This is one of last year’s burlap covers – still in excellent condition. Depending on the quality of the burlap, these covers can last through three seasons.
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- To secure the burlap cover tightly, Phurba pulls down the burlap and attaches it to the ground stakes using wood 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 one finished section of the Boxwood Allée. The burlap still allows the boxwood to “breathe”, and get sunlight, which is important even during the colder months.
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- At the ends, Phurba pulls the burlap snug and begins sewing it closed. For this he uses a large embroidery needle and jute twine.
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- Various birds love to nest in the big bushes, so we always add a few holes for our avian friends.
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- Some sections need 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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- This year, we purchased a portable bag closing sewing machine. Chhiring is able to sew long lengths of burlap in a lot less time.
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- The fabric is held taut as the machine is pulled across. It can also be done right on site, which is very convenient.
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- The machine uses white strong cotton thread and a chain stitch which is formed when the needle passes through the fabric and inter-loops with itself on the underside of the seam. It is often seen on sacks of rice.
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- The new cover is then brought to the allée and laid out fully in front of the section it will cover.
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- Chhiring uses one of the long metal poles to help get the burlap over the frame peaks.
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- Cesar pull one end of the burlap over the metal framing and then over the large end boxwood.
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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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- Here is one finished end of the Boxwood Allée – the end closest to my stable.
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- 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 allée with burlap gives me comfort that all will survive the winter unscathed. And it is so pretty to see all done. And this is just the beginning… the crew has already started “burlapping” another part of farm – wait and see where the “cover up” happens next.
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