Preparing Evergreens for Winter Until the ground freezes, evergreens, including broad leaf evergreens, such as boxwood, rhododendrons and azaleas and any newly planted (first year) trees and shrubs, need regular fall watering to ensure having an adequate supply of moisture to last the winter season. Evergreens that go into the winter lacking adequate moisture may suffer from winter burn or winter browning . Winter desiccation occurs when an evergreens foliage loses moisture due to the bright winter sun and harsh winter winds. In the winter such plants are not able to absorb enough moisture from the frozen ground to replace the water that evaporates from their foliage. This results in browning of branch tips and possible loss of entire branches. This usually occurs on a side of the plant receiving bright sun and wind. Plants that go into winter in a stressful condition and lack adequate fall watering can die. If you forgot to water in the fall and your tree is brown in spots what can you do? In the spring, after the plant is actively growing, prune out any dead branches, trim the brown outside edges and reshape the plant. You may have to do this again later in the season as you notice more damage or misshaped areas. Do wait until the plant has had some time to recover from the winter and new growth has appeared in the spring before pruning to allow time to truly evaluate what is dead and what is just slow recovering. The Wagner Nursery Inc. Serving the Tri-States Since 1946
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 00:13:44 +0000
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