Covering My Terrace Boxwood Shrubs and Hedges with Burlap
The season's burlap project at my Bedford, New York farm continues in front of my Winter House.
As many of you know, I've been covering shrubs and hedges with burlap for many years to protect the branches from splaying and even breaking from the weight of snow and ice. Every season, our wrapping methods become easier and more streamlined, giving me peace of mind during the cold weather months. At the end of last week, we covered the boxwood on my terrace parterre and around the corner outside my green parlor windows.
Here are more photos of our "burlapping" process, enjoy.
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- This time every year, everyone on my outdoor grounds crew is busy covering the boxwood around the farm with protective burlap. This is one of the metal frames secured above the boxwood located outside my Winter House.
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- Because this area is tighter than the expansive Boxwood Allee, we used metal and wood stakes to build the burlap frames. This season, I decided I did not want any metal stakes to be placed in between the shrubs, so they are built teepee style with stakes angled from the bottom to the top. These frames peak at least one foot above the plants so even the heaviest snow doesn’t weigh the burlap down and crush the tender foliage.
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- And remember, these boxwood specimens also grow a little more every year, so the covers and frames have to be adjusted each season. The crossbar at the top creates additional support for the frame.
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- Pete also uses wooden stakes to bolster the burlap from the bottom. Here he is creating a shorter frame, so the burlap can cover the plants but not the stone wall. These one-and-a-half by one-inch pieces are cut right here at my farm and can be used again and again.
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- Two-inch screws are used to connect the stakes of each frame.
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- Once all the framing is complete, the burlap is carefully pulled above all the boxwood. Unused stakes help to carefully lift the burlap in place.
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- Smaller wooden strips are secured every two to three feet at the foot of these specimens. The strips are about six to eight inches long – just long enough to accommodate two or three screws that will keep the burlap secure.
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- These smaller strips are also reused year after year whenever possible – nothing is wasted at my farm.
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- As Fernando pulls the burlap taut, Pete screws in a piece of wood at the bottom, securing it to the stake.
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- Here, Fernando sews the sides tight with his needle and jute twine.
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- These needles are specially designed for sewing jute. The five-inch long needles have large eyes and bent tips.
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- Here is a corner section all finished. It looks great, and there is still plenty of room for air circulation underneath all the fabric.
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- Here is another view from the side.
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- Nearby, the crew begins framing around the gardens outside my Winter House. We cover all the big boxwood shrubs and the shorter boxwood hedges that surround them. As Domi pounds in the ground stakes, Chhiring uses a piece of wood to cushion the stake, so it is not damaged as it is hammered into place.
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- The stakes are placed sturdily along the hedge about two feet apart and at least several inches deep.
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- In this area, the crew uses the same metal framework as the Boxwood Allee. All rolled galvanized 16 gauge industrial tubing – actually parts for greenhouse hoop houses.
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- The 10-foot wide bow sections surround the tall boxwood shrubs and the shorter hedges.
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- Here, Dawa pounds smaller stakes 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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- Here is Chhiring unraveling a piece of burlap saved from a previous season. Rolls and rolls of burlap are needed to cover my hedges and shrubs each winter. After every season, any burlap still in good condition is labeled and saved for use the following year.
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- Domi screws the tension purlin brackets at the top of each frame. These connect the center piping to the bow sections.
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- To make it taut, the burlap is pulled down and attached to the ground stakes using the strips and screws.
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- Then, the burlap is pulled tightly at the ends and hand-sewn closed. The crew has gone through the process several times – it is a well executed production line.
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- Various birds love to nest in the big bushes, so I add a few holes for our avian friends.
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- And, by late afternoon, the upper terrace is complete. The entire process of wrapping all the boxwood shrubs, hedges, and various other plantings, takes several weeks, but it is well-worth the effort to protect all these beautiful specimens. This area is now ready for the winter ahead.
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