Get our latest news by Greenmail. Most varieties are hardy in Zones 4 to 8. Fertilizing Weigela Shrubs. Repeat this process each year over a three year period to re-invigorate old plants. This protection should be installed in late November and removed in mid April. Use pine straw, leaf mold or shredded bark to insulate the roots from cold and drought. If you follow the proper guidelines when pruning a weigela plant, you can help it to grow healthy and strong! Therefore, before starting the preparation, it is necessary to take into account the climate zone. Double-check stems that look dead by scratching the bark with a fingernail. Weigela Winter Care. ... How to Care for Weigela in the Winter 2 How to Grow Spanish Lavender 3 How to Care for Mums in … Marble Star Poinsettia. This should be done three or four times per year starting in late April and ending in mid July. Prune these spring flowering shrubs soon after they have bloomed. Mature bushes benefit from the removal of older interior branches in late winter to improve the shrub’s vigor and bloom the next year. These cycles can heave roots out of the ground and damage them. All Rights Reserved. Most growers of these shrubs like the natural form weigela bushes assume, so pruning is not always necessary. Sign up. Cut down to a point of healthy wood or down to the crown of the plant. Pruning weigelas helps keep them looking healthy and beautiful. The base of the hardware cloth should be buried in the soil or mulch. Weigela can be propagated by seed, however the seed may not come true. You can also remove any broken or damaged branches at the end of winter, but a weigela has its heaviest flowering in spring on the previous season's growth, so it's best you don't prune heavily in winter to preserve flower buds. Weigela plants are shrubs that have beautiful red and pink flowers and can grow to be up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderProfileResults.aspx?basic=Weigela) Whatever type of weigela you grow, it's a good idea to give it a bit of extra care as winter approaches and at winters end to help keep it flourishing. Weigela can suffer significant shoot loss in a hard winter. This is done in early spring by removing two or three of the plants largest canes to the ground. In order for you to see this page as it is meant to appear, we ask that you please re-enable your Javascript! Because a weigela has no leaves in winter, its stems are susceptible to a problem called sun scald, which happens when sun heats up the bark on bright but cold days, stimulating activity in the stem that can be followed by tissue damage when the sun goes down and the stem is chilled. Some summer pruning can also be done on particularly vigorous plants but, not after mid-July. It is prized for its spring and summer flowers, whose fragrance resembles that of honeysuckle. Foliage – deciduous Flowering – April to June. But it can be a little confusing when trying to figure out how and when to trim weigela shrubs. Pruning this plant at any time is a trade off. Water only on a sunny day, in the mid-morning, when the surface of the soil is warmed. To ensure you get exactly the plant you want it is best to propagate by cuttings. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Light pruning for shape can be included in care of Weigela following the spring bloom. Top prune the plant to improve the shape and reduce its size but, be careful not to remove more than 30% of the top growth. Weigela is a flowering perennial shrub that is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8. With any of the above techniques a balanced mix should be used, 20-20-20 or 20-30-20 or 18-24-16. If rabbit damage is found you can protect the plant with a fence formed with hardware cloth (looks like chicken wire but, with small square holes). Best of all, weigela is bulletproof — easy to grow and pretty tough. Prune back any branches that did not make it through the winter, in the spring, after the last hard frost has passed. Organic fertilizers, like manure, can also be used with good results. Preparing the weigel for winter will help her survive the cold with minimal damage. Weigela is a flowering perennial shrub that is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8. This method of fertilization should only be done once a year, and is best done in late fall after leaf drop, or in early spring before bud break. Sun Stripe Agapanthus. These holes should not be filled with more than 1/3 of the fertilizer and then they should be top filled with soil. Water only on a sunny day, in the mid-morning, when the surface of the soil is warmed. Preparation for winter will help ensure that the plant emerges in the spring healthy and with minimal damage. Wise Weigela facts. Liquid fertilizers (such as Miracle Gro) are mixed with water and applied the same as you would water the plant (see product for specific details). Winter Care. The new weigela selections fall into every size category, from one that's perfect for pots to one that can create a hedge (like Fine Wine weigela, above). Because many of the Weigelia rebloom you have to decide whether shape and the reduce in size is more important than the potential rebloom, its up to you. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Commonly planted as hedges, foundation plantings or in beds and borders, weigela is low-maintenance and thrives in sunny sites and moist soil. Semi-ripe cuttings. More winter-hardy species are: Weigela blooming, Weigela Middendorf and Weigela early, they are successfully grown in conditions of middle lane. Water your weigela shrub deeply several times in the fall well before the first hard frost to support the roots to withstand winter drought conditions. Resume a regular irrigation schedule in the spring after the last hard frost. Fall Preparation Although a weigela is a deciduous plant that drops its leaves in fall, its roots continue functioning for a … Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Frost on leaves image by Rod Jackson from, Iowa State University: Winter Effects on Garden Plants, University of Minnesota Extensnion: Protecting Trees and Shrubs Against Winter Damage, Montana State University Urban IPM Program: Winter Care of Trees and Shrubs, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Growing Weigelas in the Home Landscape. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Because many of the Weigelia rebloom you have to decide whether shape and the reduce in size is more important than the potential rebloom, its up to you. Weigela Care. Larger mature specimens benefit from the removal of older branches to rejuvenate the plant. Use loppers for small-diameter branches and a pruning saw for larger branches. The material should be worked into open soil at a rate of one bushel per one 6′ shrub or 100 sq. These shrubs need little winter care but, should be occasionally checked for rabbit or other damage. Burn, chip, compost or otherwise discard the cuttings as you prefer. Weigela is a flowering garden perennial shrub that throws out a profusion of pink, red or white blooms throughout the spring and summer. Please be aware, however, that renewal pruning will reduce the number of blooms for that year. Oops! To protect the roots and to prepare the soil for the next year’s growth, cover the root stock with a … Therefore, before starting the preparation, it is necessary to take into account the climate zone. www.gardenmanage.com. Have any Question or Comment? Weigela is a deciduous shrub that is found in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 through 8. Often planted in the form of hedges, these plants do not require special care, but still need to take care of them. Although weigela is a hardy plant, it's prone to winter dieback, especially in areas with harsh winters. Care for Weigela Bushes (Pruning Tips, Etc.)