Winter can inflict damage on plants. Covering shrubs is often part of a larger overwintering strategy for protecting them. Delicate shrubs should be covered but even some hardy shrubs benefit from coverage.

Find out if you need to cover shrubs in winter, which shrubs to cover, and how to do it.

Shrubs Not to Cover

Most shrubs should not be covered. Unless the shrub absolutely needs to be covered, don’t cover it.

For example, you can cover container shrubs when overwintering them. But the best option is to move the containers to a sheltered area.

Why Cover Shrubs

Cover some types of shrubs to protect them from winter damage. Covering shrubs can preserve moisture and protects them from wind and frost damage.

• Preserves moisture: Extreme, freezing cold can cut off some plants’ access to their roots. The upper part of the plants dries out. Water is lost because it’s not being replenished from the roots.
• Lessens wind: Wind picks up in the winter and can damage shrubs.
• Minimizes physical damage: Wrapping shrubs protects them from physical damage due to snow or debris. Shrub covers protect plants from harsh chemicals like ice melt or road salt.
• Extends marginally hardy shrubs: Shrubs barely within your area’s USDA Plant Hardiness Zone should be covered.
• Mitigates animal damage: Covered shrubs are less susceptible to damage from deer browsing or voles or mice.

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Types of Shrubs to Cover

Cover young or delicate shrubs susceptible to cold-weather damage or hardy shrubs that require extra care. Shrubs like boxwoods, arborvitae, and rhododendrons have a better chance of survival through the winter if they’re covered.

“A good example is crepe myrtle, which can survive the winter but is helped by wrapping it with one or two layers of burlap,” says master gardener David Angelov.

Young or Delicate Plants

Young evergreens with fragile branches benefit from being covered.

Wrapping and covering are valuable for protecting brittle branches, Angelov says.

Container Plants

Winterize container plants ideally by moving them indoors, but they can also be covered.

Containers have no insulation, so they expose the roots to harsh outside temperatures. So, when you cover container shrubs, you need to cover not just the shrub but the container, too.

Zone-Marginal Shrubs

Wrapping shrubs can also help extend species marginal to your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, Angelov says.

Covering shrubs lets you grow plants that aren’t perennial in your USDA zone.

When to Cover Shrubs

Cover shrubs after the first hard frost date in your area, usually in the late fall. Waiting for the first hard frost allows the leaves to fall off.

A frost date is when air temperatures reach 32°F or less. To find frost dates, consult the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Remove the cover after the last frost date in the spring.

How to Cover Shrubs

Cover shrubs with shrub covers or burlap. In a pinch, you can also temporarily cover shrubs with towels or cardboard boxes.

Shrub Covers

Thick, breathable shrub covers fully enclose the plant and cinch tight at the bottom. Shrub covers are either supported by the plant or by tent-like frames that hold them off the shrub.

Shrub covers are reusable and afford plants the best protection during the winter. However, they can be expensive, especially if you have many shrubs.

A 54-inch tented shrub cover costs $50 to $60, and a wraparound-style shrub cover of the same size costs about $20 to $25.

Burlap

Burlap cloth in rolls can be cut to size to fit any shrub. Narrow strips can be cut off and wrapped around trunks. Large pieces of burlap can be wound around shrubs of any size.

Some shrubs can directly support the burlap. For more delicate shrubs, drive long stakes in the ground to build frames to support the burlap.

At the end of each winter, remove and roll up burlap in good condition. Some burlap will be unusable. All burlap will eventually degrade and need to be replaced.

Burlap is the most economical shrub cover when you have many shrubs—rolls of burlap cost from $2 to $5 per square foot.