How to Protect Trees and Shrubs in the Winter
When winter rolls around, you may be wondering how to protect the trees and shrubs you’ve worked hard to cultivate throughout the growing season. Follow these tips to help ensure that your landscaping makes it to spring unscathed.
Keep winter in mind when planning your landscaping
The first step to making sure your shrubs and trees survive the winter is to plant ones that are appropriate for your region. Use your zip code to look up which hardiness zone you live in, and then select plants that are tagged for your zone.
Hardiness describes a plant’s ability to withstand the lowest temperature that is likely to occur in a given area. Choosing plants that are hardy for your region is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your landscaping makes it through the winter. By taking winter into account when designing your landscaping, you can reduce the effort required to winterize your shrubs and trees.
When you’re planning a new garden, try to plant in places that are sheltered from the wind. If possible, put your most delicate plants in an elevated section of your garden. This will help prevent them from being exposed to the coldest air, which tends to accumulate in low areas.
How to protect trees and shrubs from cold damage
Preparation is key to protecting trees and shrubs from winter weather. Proper watering during the growing season will help them cope with dry winter soil. When the cold hits, winterizing your shrubs and trees can prevent them from getting dried out by harsh gusts.
Homemade wind shelters are great for protecting trees and shrubs. Start by hammering stakes into the ground around them. Then, wrap burlap around the stakes. Staple the burlap to the stakes to secure it.
Young shrubs and trees are especially vulnerable to wind damage. If you have young trees, use twine to tie burlap around their trunks. To prevent animals from nesting in the material, wrap it with chicken wire.
You can also build a shelter to winterize shrubs planted near the road, which are at higher risk of dehydration because they are exposed to salty de-icing treatments. It’s best to use erosion-control fabric rather than burlap because it has finer mesh and won’t allow as much salt to get through.
To winterize shrubs that are tall and narrow, wrap twine around them. This will prevent ice and snow from accumulating on the branches, which can weigh them down and cause them to break.
How to protect trees and shrubs using mulch
Mulch is helpful for protecting trees and shrubs against temperature fluctuations, which can cause them to freeze and thaw throughout the winter. Lay a few inches of mulch around the base of your shrubs and trees – especially newly planted ones – to help prevent the soil from losing heat and moisture.
Using a chipper to make your own mulch is a great way to clean up your yard and recycle wood debris. Keeping your chipper blades sharp prevents damage to your machine and makes it chop more quickly. Quality wood chipper parts, such as vacuums that help you quickly collect debris for your mulch, can make the job easier for you.
