Autumn Care for Dormant
Trees and Shrubs
Give shrubs and trees winter extra protection in climates with severely cold winters so they’ll have a better chance to survive winters and avoid damage.
Protecting Trees and Shrubs in Winter
Dormant-season protection of trees and shrubs is only needed in areas that regularly receive sustained freezing temperatures in winter of –10°F (–23°C) or colder.
Some half-hardy species may require such care in less-severe winter regions, and tender shrubs and trees should be moved indoors or to protected locations in all areas where winters have temperatures at or below 32°F (0°C).
To start, if autumn rains have been sparse, give your trees and shrubs a deep soaking as the temperatures begin to drop but before the ground freezes. Evergreens particularly benefit from deep watering before the onset of winter, since their leaves or needles always release some moisture, even in winter. Broadleaf evergreens are especially susceptible to drying winds.
Protection for New Trees and Shrubs
Newly planted trees and shrubs are more prone to cold temperature damage mature plantings. Windbreaks or other shelter helps protect these vulnerable young trees and shrubs, as well as species that are marginally hardy in your area.
To build a windbreak, erect a frame of wood stakes or PVC pipe around the tree or shrub. Wrap the frame with burlap, canvas, breathable non-woven frost cloth, or similar materials.
Avoid plastic wraps that would prevent air circulation. Always keep the wrap from touching broadleaf or coniferous evergreens to scorched foliage caused by freezing condensation.
Unwrap the plants in spring once the likelihood of more freezing temperatures are past.
Winter Pest Problems
In some regions, rodents such as mice, porcupine, rabbits, and voles cause tree loss by gnawing the bark off the base of the tree during winter months.
If animal pests are active in your region, you can protect your trees or shrubs from damage by wrapping plantings with animal guards.
Cut strips 18 in. (45 cm) long from galvanized mesh wire fabric with 1/4-in. (6-mm) spacing (sometimes called “hardware cloth”). Place the strips around the tree’s trunk, with its edges overlapping and the lower end pushed firmly into the ground.
Animal guards last indefinitely and can be left in place all year.
Ice Damage
While beautiful, winter snows and ice can cause harm to your landscape trees and shrubs. Water is heavy, and the load of snow or ice on branches can cause them to break.
Carefully clear such loads from the branches of your trees to avoid hazard to your plants, while wearing a safety helmet and eye-protection glasses for safety.
Trunk Wrapping
Newly planted trees whose trunks have yet to develop a thick, corky bark may benefit from trunk wrapping in severe-winter climates. Wrap the tree in the autumn and leave the wrapping in place until early spring.
Trunk wrapping reflects sunlight and reduces the buildup of heat during the day, thus minimizing the temperature fluctuations that cause bark splitting.
To wrap a trunk, use burlap strips or commercial tree wrap. Start at the base of the trunk and wrap toward the top.
Overlap each strip by 1/4–1/2 in. (6–12 mm). Install the wrap, moving upwards, to just below the tree’s lower branches.
Snugly secure the wrap with twine.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparing Shrubs for Winter Cold
Cold-winter climates challenge deciduous shrubs and roses. Many half-hardy species struggle to survive very low temperatures and freezing, especially grafted varieties.
Wrapping and seasonal burying of the trunk and branches of plants in autumn protects them with an insulating cover of chips, plastic sheeting and soil.
You’ll need a shovel, wood chips, plastic sheeting, and wooden stakes. Follow these steps:
How to Insulate Shrubs and Roses
Allow roses to develop hips by leaving last blooms on the rose. Avoid pruning them after their last bloom.
Mulch shrubs heavily with straw or cypress mulch, wrap in burlap, then securely tie the covering in place.
Cover the wrapped plant with 8–10 in. (20–25 cm) of mulch, then bury it in loose garden soil at least 6 in. (15 cm) deep.
How to Bury Roses for Winter
Gently free half the rootball at the base of the rose, taking care to avoid damaging major roots.
Dig a trench beside the rose a bit longer and deeper than it is tall and wide. Apply wood chips to soil to make a bed. Tip the rose toward its still-rooted side, laying it flat on the ground. Stake or peg it into place.
Layer over the rose with wood chips 12–18 in. (30–45 cm) thick, cover the chips with burlap, add 12 in. (30 cm) more straw, then cover the mound with loose soil.