Protecting our Plants during Warm, Dry Winters

When we have warmer and drier winters some plants may need extra winter protection. While the temperatures are most definitely warmer the ground is colder because there is little snow insulating it from a harder freeze. This condition will make it harder on evergreens and plants that are a little more sensitive to our cold temperatures. A little more TLC is needed to help them make it through the winter.

Evergreens

If the ground freezes harder combined with a dry fall your evergreens will need to get some extra protection from the sun and wind. 

• Build a screen on the south and southwest side of your evergreen. The idea is to cast a shadow on the evergreen when the sun is at its hottest. 
• Burlap should not have contact with the needles as it can actually make them dryer by wicking the moisture out of the needles. 
• Three stakes and a roll of burlap usually will do the trick. 
• Most years we don’t have to worry about the groundcover evergreens because they are covered by snow. 
• Screening is a better option than wrapping because it allows better air circulation.

Burlap screen is NOT touching the evergreen

Remember it’s not the cold giving your evergreens winter burn, it’s the sun that dries them out. 

• Watch our rainfall in fall. If it is dry, continue to water them until the ground freezes so that they have plenty of moisture available to them. Typically that’s around December 6th for zone 4 and a couple of weeks earlier for zone 3 climates.

Sensitive Shrubs, Perennials, Trees

There are a lot of plants out there that are a little more sensitive to our winter than others. This makes those plants especially prone to winter damage. Those include:

• Happy Chappy rose
• Butterfly Bush
• Some Lenten Rose

Lay down a thick layer of straw, hay or other type of mulch. 

• Place the mulch out past the base of the plant and do not create a volcano!
• Consider the canopy, which is generally the drip line, and mulch accordingly. 
• Place hardware cloth to hold the straw/hay in place.

Leave about 2 inches around the stem/trunk of your plant

Sun Scald Protection

Ever see large vertical cracks in the trunks of your trees? Most likely this was caused by the freezing and thawing of water in the bark during the winter months. 

• Wrap your trunks to protect them.
• Younger maple trees are more prone to this condition because their bark has not yet got its tougher, thicker bark that you see on older trees.

Protecting from Rodents and Deer

Food will run out and snow is bound to come and cover what may be left. When this happens these animals will start to browse on your favorite shrubs and trees. 

• Place hardware cloth of ¼-inch mesh around the trunk. 
• The cylinder should extend 2 to 3 inches below the ground line for mice and 18 to 24 inches above the anticipated snow line for rabbit protection.
• If you have just too many trees and shrubs to wrap you may want to think about using repellents instead. There are a variety of natural products to repel rabbits, mice and deer.

More information can be found at MyMinnesotaWoods through the University of Minnesota Extension.

The experts at Gertens are always available to answer your questions!