My Weigela is planted in clay soil in a rock bed with afternoon sun. Now it is getting close to snow fall here in Minnesota. Time for cutting back - I cut of the browned papery leaves. There are no flowers but all summer the plant with lovely leaves looked healthy but not now. We put in a drip system for my perennial garden. We have a underground sprinkling system in a community that handles that and according to their terms. I have no control over it so we put in a separate drip system for this perennial garden.
It is OK to remove dead leaves or limbs at any time, but any other pruning should be done after flowering. Weigela blooms on old wood which means the buds formed the previous summer. Since you just planted it in spring, it may have bloomed before you acquired it. The literature says it may bloom off and on, but I had one for years and it never bloomed past the spring show. Papery leaves makes me think it isn't getting enough water or it is getting too much, which seems unlikely since you have two systems working for you. The rocks in the garden could be reflecting too much sun and could be scorching the leaves.
Here is more info that may help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/papery-looking-leaves.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/weigela/pruning-weigela.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/weigela/growing-weigela.htm
My weigelas are always beautiful on Memorial Day, but don’t have any leaves yet. Are they dead?
You will have to check that for yourself! This will help you to do so.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/tree-scratch-test.htm
We planted two weigela in the early fall of 2020. They bloomed and survived winter but then had mostly dead stems come spring 2021. We pruned them back almost to the ground, and both filled out and bloomed pretty nicely last year. In winter of 2021/2022, the leaves turned brown but did not fall, and now in March 2022, we are still in winter in Colorado, but I'm not sure what to do with them as the weather warms up, since they kept all of their leaves but are brown/dead. Do I need to cut them all the way back again? Is this going to happen every year moving forward, or can I do something different this year to ensure more growth? Thanks!
You don't need to cut them back, completely. This is just what you will come to expect from living in a cooler USDA zone.
Just tip prune and remove any completely dead branches in early spring.
This article will help you to care for the shrub:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/weigela/growing-weigela.htm
I did not have any more
This should, only be done when the shrub is dormant. Spring or Fall is best. This article will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/weigela/moving-weigela-plants.htm
live in zone 4 north of Chicago, Illinois 7 miles west of Lake Michigan
In the sources I checked, I did not see weigela listed as tolerant of juglone. That doesn't mean it isn't, I just didn't find it documented one way or another. Here are some plants that are tolerant:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/nut-trees/black-walnut/black-walnut-compatible-plants.htm
https://extension.psu.edu/landscaping-and-gardening-around-walnuts-and-other-juglone-producing-plants
The bushes have not been pruned since they were planted in spring of 2021. They are getting rangy looking and I would prefer a more rounded shape
I would wait to trim again until Spring. This will preserve the shape that you are looking for.
These articles will offer more information on the care of these shrubs:
I live in Georgia and would like to know when to order and from where (on line)
We don't make vendor recommendations but your local extension agency might. Have you checked your local nurseries? Also search online for old fashioned weigelas and see which vendors come up. Be sure to read their "about" information and see how long they have been in business. Also read some of the reviews. I don't recommend ordering from anyone on an auction-type site or an individual. Stick with reputable online nurseries.