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3 Simple Ways to Protect your Plants from Winter Damage

Posted on Friday, December 6th, 2013 at 5:34 pm by Weblinx

St. Louis winters can bring us thick snow, dangerous ice storms, and heavy winds. Lucky for us, we can just move ourselves indoors and stay warm. Our plants, however, need special care to prepare them for the harsh winter weather.

 Here are 3 simple ways to protect your plants from winter damage:

1.    Cover

If the weatherman expects a super cold night, look for any extra blankets, quilts, or tarps that you have around the house. Gently drape them over your prized plantings. Don’t forget about the new plantings that you installed within a year as they still need extra care. When the sun comes out, remove the coverings and let them get some air and sunlight. This method works best for temporary freezes.

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You can also protect your evergreens through the winter by proactively wrapping the trunks in heavy burlap. This is can stay through the winter months.

2.    Mulch

Besides being aesthetically appealing, mulch is one of the best insulators for your plant root system. It protects them from the heat in the spring, and also from the cold of the winter. Mulching in the fall is a great way to protect your plants through winter, just be sure that when spring comes around the mulch isn’t applied to thick. This could prevent the plant from warming up effectively for the next season.

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3.    Water

If your plants are dry they become brittle and more susceptible to freeze and heavy wind damage. Many times, a simple watering can reduce the chance of your plants getting winterburn. When watering, soak the ground to get water to the root system to encourage deep root growth. Use caution not to wet the foliage of your plant.

If you need help determining which of your plants are most susceptible, or what method would work best for your St. Louis landscape, give Dowco a call today! 636-532-9192

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