How to Winterize Shrubs

Shrubs are the perfect way to landscape the area around your home. They hide the foundation and make exceptional natural boundaries. Some shrubs, however, don't withstand the winter too well. The weight of snow and ice, as well as the harsh temperatures take its toll. By taking a few preventative steps to winterize your shrubs, they'll emerge hardy and healthy in the spring, ready and able to grace your home with their greenery.

Mulch
Burlap bags or rolls of burlap
Twine
Scissors
Shovel

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a small trench around shrubbery. It should be approximately 4 inches deep and extending about 4 to 6 inches beyond the perimeter of each shrub. Water the trenches thoroughly and fill them with mulch.
- 2
  Top the filled trenches with additional mulch, mounding it up near the bottom of each shrub's greenery.
- 3
  
  Cover each shrub with the properly-sized burlap bag. These bags are available at agriculture or feed stores and in many home and garden stores. The bags should be form-fitting, but should leave a bit of "breathing" room in some places between the fabric and the shrub.
  If burlap bags aren't available, purchase rolls of burlap and cover the shrubs with large pieces that may be gathered at the bottom with twine.
- 4
  Close the bottom of the bag a the base of each shrub by cutting a small length of twine and tying it securely. Cut a longer length of twine and wrap it snugly around the perimeter of each shrub, starting about 4 inches from the top. Tie it securely. Repeat this process two or three more times at even intervals from the top to the bottom of the shrub.
- 5
  Cut the twine and remove the bags in the spring. Once the bags are thoroughly dried, they may be kept in a shed, garage or basement and reused for years to come.

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