PROTECT:

• Use hardware cloth fencing to protect Burning Bush, Korean Spice Viburnum, Prunus, Fruit Trees, and more from hungry winter pests.
• Wrap trees with tree wrap to protect smooth bark maple and other trees for the winter.
• Try a living Christmas tree this year and plant it in your yard after the holiday. Dig your hole now before the ground freezes.

 

REMOVE:

• Be sure to rake out the dead leaves, old mulch, and other accumulated debris from your garden. Diseases and insects can overwinter on this and get an early start on your plants.
• Removal of fallen leaves will reduce the numbers of overwintering insects in your rose plantings.

EXAMINE:

• Now that the leaves have fallen, examine the shrubs in your garden. It is easier to see the structure and the problems such as borer damage, places where the mice and rabbits were gnawing last spring and other possible damage areas.

WATER:

• When the ground freezes, mulch the shrubs planted this fall as well as the brambles and berries. Use shredded bark, compost or other materials you may find at a reasonable cost.
• Set up burlap screens to protect rhododendrons from winter sun and wind and to protect shrubs from salt spray.
• It’s important that shrubs go into winter well watered. Evergreens under overhanging eaves are especially vulnerable to desiccation in winter. Soak them before the ground freezes.
• Check the soil, do not let newly planted trees go into winter in dry soil.

PRUNE:

• Prune shade trees any time the plants are dormant. Prune fruit trees after midwinter.

RAKE:

• Some trees drop leaves so late that they cannot be raked out of the ground cover beds before the snow flies. Cranberry cotoneaster and dwarf sumac plantings are notorious for collecting trash. Don’t worry about this. Just be sure to rake them out in spring before the leaves pop open.

• There is still time to plant shrubs as long as the ground is not frozen, but time is getting short.

 

NOTE:  Any of our sales associates here at Breezy Hill Nursery would be happy to answer your questions about planting and caring for your tree.  Call us at (262) 537-2111.

Do you have Gardening questions? Please call or stop by our garden center.

You might also enjoy this post about common landscaping questions or this Fine Gardening post about Beauty in Winter Gardening.