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Some evergreens, especially those exposed to a lot of winter winds and sun, may need protection. |
Do a few simple chores this fall to help your trees and shrubs survive winter. Sunscald, dissection, root and animal injury are common injuries that occur to plants during our winter months.
Wrap or apply tree guards to tree trunks. Warm sunny winter days can trigger cambial activity under the tree's bark. A sudden drop in temperature, due to shade or sunset, then causes the activated cambium to freeze and die, thus leading to sunscald. Sunscald appears on the south or west side of a tree in the form of sunken, dried, or cracked areas. A light colored wrap or tree guard will reflect sunlight and keep temperatures lower on sunny days. Thin-barked trees like basswood/linden, maples, honeylocust, mountain ash, cherries, crabapples, and plums are more susceptible to sunscald. Also pay attention to newly exposed bark from recent pruning to raise tree canopies, trees that have been recently transplanted from shady sites to sunny sites, and young trees.
Don't over or under water.Too much water, and plant fertilizer, now can stimulate new growth which will be susceptible to winter injury. Too little water puts the shrub or tree under stress going into winter making it harder to survive winter and revitalize itself come spring. Pay particular attention to your evergreens because winter winds and sun can lead to winter burn. Using a burlap wrap may be necessary on your evergreens.
If Mother Nature doesn't supply the one inch of rainfall per week, you'll need to step in. Water the ground until it freezes. The average freeze date of soils in Minnesota ranges from mid-November through mid-December; the average date for the Twin Cities is December 6.
Protect roots. Plant roots aren't as hardy as woody stems. Fortunately, soil temps stay higher than air temps. Applying a layer of organic mulch to beds and around tree trunks will insulate the ground -a blanket of snow works even better. If you cut back your perennials in the fall, leave several inches of stems to capture blowing leaves and snow. A moist soil holds more heat than dry soil and helps to prevent deep frost penetration.
Protect trunks and stems from animal injury. Unless you live in the Arctic, Peter Rabbit and Bambi will likely decide to dine on your plants' woody stems. Bury tree guards or wire wrap a few inches below the ground for small rodents and extend it 24 inches above the average snow line for rabbit protection.
For More Information:
More Info from U of M Extension on Avoiding Winter Injuries
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