West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-10-14
PROTECTION FOR PLANTS AND
SHRUBS DURING THE WINTER
In Answer to Many Inquiries Re
eeived by the Department of Ag-
riculture Instructions and Sugges-
tions are Given by Specialists on
"Putting the Garden to Bed"

garden plants and shrubs during the
winter. Such flowers as peonies and
hoily yhocks will come up again the
ioiijwing year if they are properly
Protected during the winter, while
otLers like cannas and dahlias. which
are more accustomed to warm eli
mates, must have their roots or bulbs
drug up and stored in cellar. The
departments specialists give the fol-
lowing suggestions for putting the
garden to bed"
Hardy Perennials.
Cover hardy perennials, such as
peonies. larkspur. hollyhocks, colum-
bines. iris. platycodons, and peren-
nial poppies with a good coating OF ma
nure or other litter to depth OF or
4 inches. In more southern locali-
ties this will hold the frost in the
ground and keep the plant from al
ternately freezing and thawing; in
more northern regions the manure
will protect the plant from freezing
to a depth that will cut of its water
supply.
Cannas ano Dahlas
AS soon as the tops of cannas, dah-
has, gladiolus, caladiums and SINH
lar plants are killed by frost, dig up
the roots or bulbs and store them i'm
cellar where the temperature will
remain at 55 degrees. and should new
a n 90 haIntu oh
Bo not shake any more earth from
the clumps OF cannas and dahlias
than Is necessary in removing them
from the ground. Place the plants on
racks or i'm slat boxes so the air may
circulate freely through them. No
frost must reach the roots nor must
they become too warm or dry.
Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas semi-herbaceous) I'm
the South will last through the winter
out-of-doors If properly cared for.
The tops should be protected with
straw or brush. This may be held in
place about the bushes with a little
manure or stones. The flower buds OF
the hydrangea form in the fall, and
this cover will keep them from winter
L.iling while shielding the bush from
winds and sun. In the North hydran-
geas must be taken up, planted in
tubs and placed in the cellar. This is
generally true of ATTITUDES north of
Philadelphia.
The shrub known as brugmansia.
also called thorn apple, should be
treated as is the hydrangea, but they
are not hardy nearly SO far north.
As rule shrubs should not be
trimmed in the fall. This process is
timely Immediately after the bloom
ing period, If this is in the spring, as
In the case of the SNOWFALL If the
shrubs bloom I'm the fall, as do some
hydrangeas, the rose of Sharon. and
some lilacs, they should not be cut
directly after blooming, but in the
spring of the following year. Lilacs.
snowbails, and mock orange should
be let alone during the winter. being
neither trimmed nor covered with
straw ana manure.
Roses
Almost all kinds of plants are hardy
IN the vicinities of Washington, ID.
g., and ST. Louis and to the south of
line drawn between these points.
From Washington northward local
conditions influence the successful
cultivation of certain varieties. Some
roses. as the briar and rugosa, need
no protection, but Other varieties. such
as the hybrid-perpetuals, tea, and hy-
brid-teas, need special care, particu-
larly north Of the fortieth parallel.
Teas and hybrid teas hardly succeed
~ Chicago, although the hybrid per-
Petnals grow as far north as Canada.
All these classes do well on Long
Island and in Boston near the sea
when proper care is given them. These
varieties in the vicinity OF Washing
ton need merely little manure on the
ground to prevent alternate freezing
and thawing. Farther north. however.
they should be treated as follows:
Cut the tops to within 30 inches of
the ground. Cover the roots with
eaarss manure or leaves or similar
litter. Hold this In place by ever
green boughs which also act as a pro-
lection. Brush from deciduous trees
OF shrubs may be substituted for the
evergreen boughs except in the most
northern regions.
Mounds Of earth about six or eight
Inches in height should be drawn
ap9ut the base OF rose bushes to keep
theI1 fTam mice As an added pro-
tection against mice, permit the
ground TO freeze slightly before win
ter protection Is supplied. In fact,
roses should not be protected until
after the first light freeze, which may
be expected I'm Washington, ID. c.,
about the first OF December, but ear
lier farther north.
IN the latitude Of Philadelphia and
farther south climbing roses usually
Hesd ns protection during tho winter
unless they are particularly tender
variety. Farther north these roses
need protection similar to that given
TO the tea and hybrid tea roses.
Who're Il is possible to DO so, re-
move climbing roses from their sup