Winterizing Trees and Shrubs

Trees and shrubs can sustain serious root and foliage damage in the winter months ahead. To make sure these trees stay healthy, they need to be protected now. Here's how to do it:

Larger trees and bushes

• Mulch with leaves that have been chopped up twice with a lawnmower. Add three to five inches to provide a good, insulating layer.
  
• Wait until the ground freezes before mulching. You're not trying to keep the plants warm; you're trying to keep the temperature of the soil more constant to prevent heaving.
  
• Stop watering once the ground is frozen; trees and shrubs no longer absorb water after that.
  
• Pruning is not recommended at this time, but do remove any broken branches.
  

The arborvitae's branches are pretty flimsy. Any excess weight from ice or snow will cause them to break. Protect these trees by tying the top of the tree snuggly with jute twine, but not so tight as to cut into the branches. This will hold the crown together and provide extra strength against the elements.

Thin-barked, newly transplanted and young trees

• Sun scald usually happens on the south or southwest side of the tree. In late afternoon, the sun heats the bark of dark woods and then the temperature rapidly drops when the sun is blocked. This kills the active tissues and causes expansion and cracking in the trunk of the tree. Water can then collect in the cracks and cause more damage when it freezes and expands.
  
• Wrap the trunk with a lighter-colored landscape fabric or burlap strips to insulate the tree against the drastic temperature changes.
  
• Older trees aren't as susceptible because their bark is thicker and can insulate the dormant tissue from the sun.

Shrubs that lose their leaves don't need any winter protection. However, frost might nip shrubs that do hold their leaves, like rhododendrons. To protect the roots, add a layer of leaf mulch. Do not use mulch that will hold in moisture, like peat — it can cause crown rot.

To keep animals from getting a winter meal from plants like clematis, provide some movement in the garden that will frighten away potential diners. Pinwheels and other moving objects work well, but be sure to move them every two weeks. Animals get used to things after a while, so putting objects in different places alerts and deters animals.

Cranberrybush viburnum produces red berries that last well into winter and that birds love to feast on. However, the berries' sugar concentrates during the winter and becomes unhealthy for birds. If you are attracting birds to your yard with feeders and houses, consider picking off the berries from these bushes.

notes:

When pruning a branch in late fall, be sure to cut it cleanly back to the collar. A jagged edge invites problems, such as collecting water that could rot the tree.

Protect the foliage of rhododendrons with a burlap wrap. Fasten burlap to some stakes and then sink the stakes in the ground around the perimeter of the plant.

 Seasoned Gardener : Episode SGN-311

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Pam Duthie
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URL: www.pamthegiftedgardener.com

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