Wrap up or bare it all?

As temperatures begin to plummet, the earth will eventually freeze, probably just before Christmas is my guess, and, as frequently happens in this province, round about mid-January we’ll experience a period of warm weather. It won’t be enough to thaw the ground, but it will be enough to suck the moisture from foliage that’s susceptible to those chinook-style breezes. Damage occurs because plants can’t draw moisture to replace the amount they lost from the frozen ground.

A question I am often asked is, “Is it necessary to wrap these evergreens?” There are several cultivation practices you can adopt to reduce chances of browning without wrapping for the winter.

Homeowners should use hardy plant varieties recommended for the zone they live in and avoid planting trees and shrubs near light-coloured or reflective structures. Damage is usually reduced in sites protected from the wind.

Don’t apply nitrogen fertilizers to shrubs or trees between July and the time of leaf drop of deciduous trees. If Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you, water evergreens in the fall to ensure that plants have sufficient moisture in the root zone to prevent freeze drying. Let a small stream of water flow under the drip line for several hours. Repeat this watering early in the spring, once the ground thaws.

The importance of sufficient fall watering cannot be overemphasized, since water applied in the fall when roots can draw it up, is much more beneficial than water applied in the winter. Evergreens on the south and west side of buildings, especially under an overhang, should be well-watered in the fall because they are very susceptible to winter injury.

An option to wrapping burlap around trees, is to erect canvas, burlap or slatted screens on the south and west sides of exposed small evergreens to prevent desiccation (drying). This protection shades the plants and prevents excessive moisture loss by the wind. Screens should be about one foot away from the plant material.

Browning damage could be especially bad this year because of the unusually warm fall and sharp drop in temperatures in mid November. Plants may not be properly hardened and might be susceptible to freezing injury.

Next spring, if the south or west side of your evergreens have turned brown, wait until mid-June and then crumble the dead bits out using your fingers. Anything that is crisp enough to break off when gently squeezed is dead and will not come back to life.