overwintering using fleece

[the diplomat]

I am looking for some advice on what the best method of using fleece on a couple of plants. Two years ago,like many other people we lost a very mature Cordyine due to the severe winter. After cutting it back to the ground,it started to sprout new growth from the base which has now reached over a metre in growth. Question1: Is it okay to tie up the leaves, then wrap with fleece and leave throughout the winter? Last year my Trachycarpus was badly damaged by frost, Question 2: is it okay to take the same approach to them this winter by using the fleece in the same way? Any advice would be appreciated thanks.

[GoggleboxUK]

I'm a bit further north than you TD and I'll only be fleecing the Trachies and Cordys if I get a forecast of -7 or below.

I will be using fleece bags with drawstrings and double-bagging the heads with loose balls of fleece around the growing point.

In an average winter both plants shouldn't need protecting but I understand your caution, 2009 and 2010 have made everyone much more cautious.

[Yorkshire Kris]

Fleece is fine on plants when it's cold but not when it's mild. So it may be a case of wrapping and unwrapping depending on the weather.

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

TP, one thing i found useful is to leave a lasso around the bottom of the trunk. When bad weather threatens its a simple case of slide the lasso up the stem, pulling all the leaves together and then just put a fleece bag over. When the fleece bag isn't required, lift it off and slide the lasso back down. I put out about 20 young cordies last year/ year before and it saves a lot of time. Its literally seconds per plant instead of minutes per plant when tying from scratch everytime its required.

[The Codfather]

Mmmmm I have just tied mine up (cordy's and Trachys........and they will stay like that now (normally) and then just pop the fleece bags etc over as needed and remove as required.

[kata]

Same tie bags as Goggle but mine are..green.

On and off like Coddy.

[Yorkshire Kris]

Mmmmm I have just tied mine up (cordy's and Trachys........and they will stay like that now (normally) and then just pop the fleece bags etc over as needed and remove as required.

Its probably cold enough where you live for that to be alright.

[Tom2006]

I wouldn't tie up Cordy's or Trachies until a spell of cold weather is forecast i.e. day and night around or below freezing for day after day, and/or also heavy snow.

Last winter I just tied mine up and wrapped them during spells like this and then wrapped as soon as it had past.

[Adrian]

Cordylines are more than happy with leaves tied together and wrapped in a layer or two of fleece for the whole winter.
The only Cordylines that I protect here are torbay dazzlers and the biggest has already been wrapped and it will stay that way until Spring, I have another with good overhead cover so that one stays out a bit longer before getting covered.
The best way to protect the smaller plants is to tie the leaves up, make a wigwam of canes just away from the tied up leaves and wrap fleece around the canes.

[Tom2006]

I'm surprised they are happy like that, don't they rot away?

[karl66]

I have used Dave browns method the last few years of covering/uncovering subject to weather forcast & so far its worked!, i do think you can kill plants with kindness by trying to sufocate them. Where ade lives is a different ball game to most on here, the only things i have protected is the crowns of my tree ferns at present, with a rolled peice of fleece. karl.

[Adrian]

It might be better down here but I still get it cold, also my back garden hardly gets any sun in winter so frosts just sit there.
If my Cordylines rotted away while being protected all winter long then I wouldnt wrap them that way
Reading the forums you would think that the only way was to cover/uncover constantly for 4 or 5 months of the year but you'd be surprised at what can stay covered all winter long.
All Id say is try things yourselves, sure you learn from others experiences but you'll learn a hell of a lot more trying things your own way.
Perhaps it was something to do with having palms and Cordylines long before having the internet that made me do a lot my way and not the 'proper' way

[GoggleboxUK]

All Id say is try things yourselves, sure you learn from others experiences but you'll learn a hell of a lot more trying things your own way.

Never a truer word spoken.

[The Codfather]

yep.....and I have learned from my mistakes (costly ones) and from mumfie...who wraps up lots of stuff here and has done for 8 years with a great sucsess rate.....and he is 2 mins around the corner from me.....its worked for me in my first 2 seasons......saying that its my first winter with cordys to protect and I have done as I see fit for my situation......only time will tell now and I will tweak during the course of winter in needed....i.e if it goes silly I will add more layers etc.

[Dim]

I'm just guessing, but think that if you use fleece, it may be best to place bamboo canes (or similar) around the plant they needs to be protected (but leave a gap around the plant so that air can circulate), then wrap it

this allows air to circulate, and the fleece will still allow a bit of light in ... and add a good mulch around the base

if you wrap the fleece directly on the plant, it wont help much with stopping the freezing, as the fleece gets wet and freezes aswell and may be even worse for the plant?

with palms and plants like cordylines, add some straw to the growing point, tie up the leaves and if the shrub is small, add the bamboo and fleece as described above

I lost 2 corydylines 2 years ago because I wrapped fleece directly onto the leaves/stem