Five ways to protect plants through winter: apply 3-5 inches of mulch, water monthly on dry days before hard freezes, choose container plants rated two zones colder than your climate, drain water features and remove pumps, and wrap sensitive tree trunks in late fall to prevent sunscald.
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Welcome to TN Nursery YouTube channel. Today, let's talk about winter protection for plants. Unanticipated cold spells and consistently altering temperatures can be detrimental to the health of plants. But do not fear, for TN Nursery is willing to share a few simple strategies that you can do to keep plants safe over the winter and limit the amount of damage they sustain. Let's go over these 5 ways of protecting our plants over the winter. Mulch the area. Mulch is a plant wonder worker that can be utilized at any time of year and is a vital feature of care during the winter. Imagine the mulch as a thick blanket that keeps the garden protected throughout the colder months. Mulch aids in maintaining the soil's cool temperature, so minimizing the damaging freeze-thaw cycles that can occur after the soil has been frozen solid for the first time. Apply a layer of mulch that is between 3 and 5 inches deep. Ideal materials include those that are lightweight, such as shredded leaves and pine straw. Watering in the winter. It might not seem important to water gardens in the winter when most plants are sleeping, but there are good reasons to do so. When it is cold and dry, especially on windy days, Evergreen trees and shrubs lose a lot of water. If it doesn't rain enough, these plants need extra watering at least once a month during the winter to keep the soils moist. Even plants that are dormant benefit from watering in the winter. Many plants keep growing roots even when their leaves aren't growing. Soils that are moist hold more heat than soils that are dry. If the soil is dry, it is more likely that the cold weather will hurt the roots of plants. Check the weather report and make sure to water all of your plants at least 24 hours before it gets very cold. Also, keep an eye on plants under canopy and in containers, which tend to dry out faster than plants in other parts of the garden. Guide to container plants. While some plants may spend the winter in containers without any problems, others must be protected from the elements. When choosing new plants for the garden, we take the USDA's winter hardiness ratings into consideration so that we may select species that are able to thrive in our climate. The additional insulation that is provided by garden soil is essential for the survival of many container plants that are kept outside throughout the winter. Consider the environment of a container to be 2 hardiness zones colder than your local climate as a reasonable rule of thumb. This will help ensure that your plants thrive. If you reside in Zone 7, for instance, the plant that you put in a container needs to be hardy to Zone 5 in order for it to make it through Winter. If the plants in your container can't withstand the cold, you might want to think about bringing them inside for the winter or finding a protected spot for them to spend the season. It is often sufficient to merely cover plants on the nights that are the coldest in order for them to survive the winter. Keep water sources safe. Preparing your modest water feature for the winter is essential to preserving your investment through the difficult months ahead. The first rule is to keep the pump from freezing. Wherever possible, take the pump apart and bring it inside for the winter. Vases and other ceramic water features break easily in the cold. Ceramic features should have their water drained and be brought inside for the winter in colder climates. Remember to bring indoors any tropical plant materials used in water gardens during winter. Before deciding whether or not to remove your pump for the winter, Consult with garden pond specialists in your area. Safeguard sensitive trees. A trunk wrap in the late fall can help protect trees with thin or smooth bark from a condition known as southwest damage or sunscald. The southwest corner of the trunk, which is exposed to the warm afternoon sun, is where this type of damage develops. And is brought on by the water in the trunk periodically freezing and thawing. To avoid winter sunscald, wrap young, thin-barked trees in commercial protective material. In order to prevent damage, trunk wraps must be removed in the spring. Not all trees need to be staked, but newly planted trees may also need support. Shake the tree lightly from side to side to see if it needs to be staked. The tree's base should maintain its stability in the ground. Place a winter stake in the tree if you can see the root ball moving. Less is more in terms of staking. Only stake the tree in the winter and make sure to take down the stakes in the spring. As a tree matures, the strings and ties that were placed around its trunk may eventually get too tight, thereby killing the tree. Try these 5 winter protection methods to keep your trees, shrubs, and perennials safe from the winter blizzard. Premium quality bare root trees, shrubs, perennials, and more are for sale at TN Nursery with low prices and fast shipping. Visit our website today. Thank you for watching.
