Do You Need to Burlap Boxwood Bushes?

Winter Is On Its Way

• Boxwood prefers both full-sunlight and partial-shade locations to survive each winter. As cold weather sets in, maintain moist soil conditions to keep boxwood roots at a uniform temperature. Mulch around the shrub to conserve moisture and regulate soil temperatures further. Do not fertilize your boxwood after midsummer. New stems and foliage succumb to winter sun scald. Instead, allow your boxwood to grow naturally to create a bushy appearance. Lush foliage insulates the stems from harsh winter winds and temperatures to avoid severe die back.

Shore Up Your Protective Walls

• Cold, winter wind coupled with sun scald easily damages boxwood shrubs. Burlap's strong woven canvas structure provides a barrier to both sun rays and wind. Using two or three wood stakes in the ground around your boxwood, staple burlap to the supports to block steady winds. Allow the downwind side to remain open to sunlight and air circulation. You do not want to fully enclose the shrub because sunlight still needs to strike the foliage for photosynthesis. Shade the bush partially from harsh sunlight above by attaching a burlap section across the top of the shrub at the stakes' points. Cut several rectangular pieces from this section to allow partial sunlight exposure until spring arrives.

Protect Those Potted Favorites

• Container-bound boxwood bushes do not have extensive soil to insulate their roots from cold weather. Because boxwood enters dormancy in the winter, you should not water the plant very frequently. To conserve the moisture still remaining in the soil, wrap burlap around the pot and secure it with bubble or other plastic wrap. Push all of your container plants together in a wind-protected area to conserve heat or simply bring the plants indoors, if possible. Acting as a blanket, burlap protects roots from cold damage until warm weather returns.

Helping Your Transplants

• Boxwood is naturally shallow-rooted, making it easy to transplant for landscape renovations. Use burlap to hold the roots in place as you move the boxwood between locations; you protect roots with this strong support. However, do not allow the burlap to remain around the roots as you replant it. Roots cannot fully establish in the ground if they are impeded by a burlap barrier. Slide the burlap from the roots before placing the boxwood in the ground for a healthier transplant.