Now that the leaves are falling and we begin to dig out the winter sweaters, it's time to complete the last of our gardening work for this season.
Here is a quick winter check list that may apply to your garden;
 
BURLAP any tender shrubs or evergreens should be burlapped once the temperatures stay consistently cool.  On the windward side of the plant arrange three stakes in a V-formation with the tip facing the wind. Drive them in the ground and attach a burlap screen to the stakes. It is important not to wrap the burlap directly on the shrubs especially evergreens as they need air circulation. If your shrubs/evergreens are susceptible to damage from heavy snow (pyramidal cedars/ boxwood/ globe cedars are good examples) then be sure to tie them up with twine before building the burlap windbreak.
For tender plants such as rhododendrons you can fill the space between the burlap and the shrub with dry leaves for added insulation. Any time you mulch with leaves you should consider putting mouse bait at the base of the plant as these tiny critters often love to make their winter home here.
 
SUNSCALD
Sunscald generally happens on trees with smoother bark and therefore is most common and most serious on younger trees. It is the direct result of exposure to sunlight and heat on the south facing side of the trees during sunny winter days. The trees are dormant for the winter but the warming of the bark and the cells beneath is common in the late winter months. By nightfall the bark rapidly cools below freezing and the rapid temperature change can kill the cells directly and cause the outer bark to contract. This results most often in dead bark and splitting, which in turn exposes the tree to disease and decay.
Once a tree has been damaged by sunscald there is little one can do! Therefore, prevention is the only reliable cure. The most common method is to merely wrap young trees with white plastic tree wraps. The white reflects the sunlight, moderating the temperature effects on the bark.  This should be done every year until the bark starts to develop natural fissures or the trunk grows to a significant diameter (greater than 3" caliper.)
 

ROSES
If you have Hybrid Tea roses then it is very important to hill your roses; which means to pile soil/compost up around the base of the bush. The best time to do this is right before the ground freezes for winter. The hill should reach an approximate height of 8-12". What the soil does is conduct heat up from the ground to the crown and lower part of the bush. Be sure to add clean soil/compost from elsewhere rather than trying to dig out around the plants.
Once the ground freezes you can add mulch or leaves as extra protection. Mulch helps minimize the possible damage that can come from abrupt temperature swings in late winter. In our experience, it is also important to wait to prune your rose bushes until spring as there will most likely be dieback from the tips from winter winds.