Shrubs

Did your hydrangea go through a nasty wintertime freeze this season ? If so , you are belike wondering what kind of damage you ’ll be dealing with as spring approaching . In this clause , gardening expert Jill Drago examines what you could expect if your hydrangeas went through a meaning bout of cold weather .

Contents

Hydrangea plants covered in snow during a cold snap

hydrangea are beautiful flowering shrubs that are best known for their giant blossoms . However , from small midget varieties to 80 - foundation crampon , there is atype of hydrangeathat is suitable for almost every garden .

There are six species of hydrangea that are most commonly grown in our garden . Each of these six species has similarities , but they also have their differences , and it is essential to know what type of growing circumstance each species expect . More on that later .

If you inhabit in an sphere where you experience very chilly winters , you may be worried about winter damage in your garden . Or you may be wondering if you should even bothergrowing hydrangeasin a colder climate . rent ’s watch a bit hydrangea ’s rate of survival after a winter freeze .

Hydrangea with ice on leaves after a cold winter frost spell. The flower petals of each bloom is brown and covered in frost.

The Short Answer

utterly ! Hydrangeas are unfearing shrubs that can last a winter freeze . As long as the bush is n’t subjected to reduplicate below zero temperature , most species of hydrangea will be just hunky-dory through colder conditions . It is decisive to plant a mintage that is dauntless in your area , as not all of them will thrive in sure hardiness zone .

The Long Answer

As a genus , hydrangea are hardy in USDA hardiness zone 3 - 7 . This is a jolly broad range , but they do spring up happily throughout most of the United States . Most hydrangeasrequire fond shadeto thrive , except for panicleswhich love full Lord’s Day .

hydrangea also care soil that is moist and well - draining . You may have some difficulty growing thriving plant in heavy clay or sandlike soils .

They do best whenthey are take into account to go dormant . This happens when the plant receive less sunshine throughout the day as well as colder temperatures . This processhelps the plant life to conserve energy , which will help them to hold out the winter .

Close up of a shrub covered in snow with dark and dry flower buds. The flower petals are all dead and brown for the winter season.

If plants do n’t go dormant , they will continue to grow , and the new sweet ontogenesis could be susceptible to damage from cold weather , even if it does n’t freeze down .

Hardiness Zones

depend on the eccentric of hydrangea you ’ve implant and the hardiness zone you reside in , some specieswill be more resilient to wintertime Robert Frost . Those that are stout into cold weather zona should reverberate faster than those that thrive in more ardent , humid environments . The board below outlines which species are more Robert Frost resistant .

Managing Frosts

Beginning with the first frost in the former fall , you will comment their leafage commence to swag , darken , and finally drop from the plant . Hydrangeas will produce new leafage every year .

So , there’sno indigence to concern about any obscure or damaged leavesthat remain on the plant through the wintertime . They will eventually shed , and new green leaves will appear .

Cold Snap or Late Frost

This can be the most depressing affair to befall during the natural spring . Just when you think you are out of the woods , blast ! You are hit with a late icing which damages all of your newly emerged bud .

You may point out discoloring of your freshly emerged leaves , as well as discoloring and the loss or discolouration of any blooms that may have already make it .

The good news about this damage is thatit will not strike the overall health of the works . It may not be as beautiful as you had hoped for , but it will repay bright and healthy next year . go along to water the plant as standard for the good results .

Flowering shrub after a cold snap growing outdoors. The flowers are green, but some are faded on the outside of the blossoms.

Cold Winds

It is not recommended to set in an area that gets a batch of wind . In the summertime , these winds can dry out the plant . The same can happen in the winter , except these frosty fart , coupled with the weight of ice or C. P. Snow , can damage the branches of the industrial plant .

Another topic with the cold winds is that they will continue to dry up your plant . This will happen even if there are no leave to wick water from .

In the event that you knowingly set in an area where it experiences a lot of malarkey , it is essential to water through the dip until the ground freezes . This will put up the plantwith as much hydration as possible . It will also provide your works the best probability of a strong retrieval in the spring .

Shrubs growing in an area with bitter wind blowing against them. There are three tall shrubby plants with brown flowers on the top of them sitting in a windy area. The plants have been nipped by the winter winds.

Frost Protection

If you be in an area where you know you are go to get heavy frost and you are worried about your plants , considerwrapping them for the wintertime . This is suggested anywhere where your temperatures drop below five stage on most day in the wintertime .

You canuse gunny to wrap your works . Use some garden twine to keep everything in place . This will protect your buds from any impending frost . When you are wrapping , be thrifty not to roll it too tightly . This could have the gunny to scratch against buds and snap them off .

Another method to protect your hydrangeas from stale atmospheric condition is by using some chicken wire and some plant stake . Set up a improvised fencing with these materials ( or whatever similar materials you have on hand ) and fill the batting cage with straw or dry out oak leaf .

Gardener covering shrub before the winter frost hits. They are pulling a white cover over the plant to protect from the frost. The gardener is wearing green gloves and a brown coat.

Winter Damage

As with any plant in your garden , there is always a possibility of some sustained winter damage . It ’s almost inescapable in cold and windy climate .

The most common form of plant life damage are break stanch from the weight of snow or ice . While it may not kill the plant , it ’s stillbest to avoid winter harm when possibleso you do n’t have to rectify it in the spring .

Prevention

If you are rise in a location where you have a go at it that snow may plunge , for illustration , near a roof demarcation , thenprune your hydrangeasto limit any branches from break in .

The most all-important factor is to verify that you are planting a kind that is brave where you live . It should also be placed in the perfect spot in your yard .

Plant Revival

Even though you might notice the wrong over the wintertime , it is essential to wait until the temperature warm up before you jump getting your plants back into shape . You will desire to wait because you want to assess the equipment casualty by rights .

Maybe your flower bud are n’t damaged as badly as you think they are . Would n’t you detest to chop off some beautiful blossoms unnecessarily ? I fuck I would .

Once the temperatures have pull down out in the spring , you may begin to really assess the damage . give is a cracking time to trim away any broken branch or other stem that seem to have died . you could suss out this by scratching out at the bark in search of gullible tissue . If you wish to absent any discolored leaves , this is a good time to do so .

Plant in winter with broken branch is bent in half. The plant has brown leaves and will need to be cared for to be revived. There is frost covering the entire plant in the winter.

Your hydrangeas will make a full recovery , and for the most part , these issues will only be aesthetic . you’re able to expect your shrubs to make a full and healthy retrieval .

Overwintering Container Plants

If you have beengrowing hydrangea in gravid containersduring the summertime and you are expecting a heavy frost this wintertime , you willneed to shelter them over the winter . you could either bring these large pots indoors or store them in a garden shed or garage .

stay fresh them in the shed or garage will still let on them to coolheaded temperature without damage the roots . The shelter will also keep any mold flower bud and branch from being exposed to any cryptical freezes that may pass off .

Final Thoughts

As long as you have choose a variety that is desirable for the hardiness zone you are get in , your hydrangea can outlast a cold winter . If they get damage , either the buds or the leg , there are ways to remedy the harm .

If you are interested about frost damage , aegis is your best stake . Wrap your plants or bring them indoors to keep them safe . Hydrangeas are stalwart bush , though and are resilient when they are left to handle mother nature on their own .

Gardener is holding pruning shears to trim a shrub. Gardener is wearing gloves that are made of white cloth. She holds the branches of several cuttings of a dying shrub in the winter.

Gardener wearing yellow gloves is pruning back a shrub after winter. The plant is coming out of its dormancy period and the gardener is preparing it for warmer weather.

Shrub with pink flowers blooming in a large terra cotta pot. There are five blooms coming off the shrub, and dark green foliage. The plant in the container sits on a ground outdoors.