Protect or not to protect??

[canadianplant]

I have a few plants that need to be covered this winter, namely phyllostachys areosulcata, fargesia rufa fargesia scabrida, hibiscus moscheutos, and yucca filamentosa. Heres my weather for the nect week ( notice the awsome system arriving tomorrow .

SHould i full oin cover them for the remainder of the winter, or should I hold off? I dont want to cover them too early and rot em to the ground..

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weathe ... f=homecity ( if this doesnt work, click "HOME", and go to thunder bay

[lucky1]

I've had Y.filamentosa for over 30 years, never covered or heated 'em, ever.
Can't help with the others on your list.

[TerdalFarm]

I have that Hibiscus. No winter protection here at all--not even mulch. I just leave 'em alone.
I have lost one to Summer weather, but that is probably not a problem for you.
I did manage to kill Hibiscus rosa-sinensis last week, but that is sheer stupidity.
H. coccineus is my favorite hibiscus; it is bullet proof summer and winter and looks great.
--Erik

[canadianplant]

I just want to cover the Yucca cause our winters have been really sloppy latley...

I cant find out at what temp i coverd my rufa at last year, I think it was around -15 or so.... So i think id have to civer the scabrida soner, seeing as its not as hardy ( depending on source of inormation, anywhere from -17C to about -28C)

[igor.glukhovtsev]

I just want to cover the Yucca cause our winters have been really sloppy latley...

I cant find out at what temp i coverd my rufa at last year, I think it was around -15 or so.... So i think id have to civer the scabrida soner, seeing as its not as hardy ( depending on source of inormation, anywhere from -17C to about -28C)

I cover my Phyllostachys, Aucuba, Japanese Mahonia and Hydrangia macrophyla when the cold is "instantly" below -5C. Fargesia never hasn't been covered at all. Just a snow blanket

[canadianplant]

That is good to know. I thik i waited till the nights were -15C to covver my fargesia ( i can get to -25C here in the winter, or colder.....) WE just had more snow last night, and its goign to get to 4C today ( something like 38 or 40F) so im ok as long as my day temps stay decent.....

Thanks again igor

**** I keep thinking your city is ``almighty kazakstan`` LOL

[Paul Ont]

Canadian,

Most of the plants on your list look OK to around -15C which is when I would cover them from further cold. The Yucca should be fine on its own. A breif look at the past couple of winters indicates that your extreme cold can come from the beginning of December to January (-30.7C last Jan 2nd; and -34C on Dec. 16, 2008). You'd certainly want to have the bamboos you listed covered before it hits -18C, since foliar damage occurs at, or even above, this temperature in unestablished plantings (despite Franckos assurences that P. aureosulcata will maintain green foliage through -20f!!!).

I was unsucessful with hardy Hibiscus (except Rose-of-Sharon, which is rock solid and ubiquitous). Might have been the porous soil or the depth of freeze... I'm not too impressed with the hardiness of the 'native' species! Maybe it needs a wetter spot?

[igor.glukhovtsev]

That is good to know. I thik i waited till the nights were -15C to covver my fargesia ( i can get to -25C here in the winter, or colder.....) WE just had more snow last night, and its goign to get to 4C today ( something like 38 or 40F) so im ok as long as my day temps stay decent.....

Thanks again igor

**** I keep thinking your city is ``almighty kazakstan`` LOL

You mean a lot of the oil in this bloody corrupted country ? That is OK. I'm sure it's not the "Borat" country definitely!