Despite being warmer and less snowy lately, New England winters are known for being harsh, cold, windy, and full of snow, ice, and slush. While they are also incredibly beautiful, they can be quite unpredictable and do a lot of damage to our roads, homes, cars, and our plants. Those beautiful hydrangeas planted near your house are a perfect target for a big pile of slushy, heavy, snow to slide down and crush them on a sunny day. 

Often, young trees might not survive the harsh conditions from ice storms and frigid gusts of wind. So that makes us ask; “What do we do with our plants that seem too fragile for long New England winters?“. 

Let’s talk all about winterizing!

Winterizing shockingly starts in the mid-summer. For those of you who didn’t know this, don’t worry! It’s not the end of the world. However, for next year, take note of these things to help your plants succeed as much as possible.

• Prune when appropriate.
  • Pruning is most often done in the spring, when we want to encourage new growth.  However, the next best time is in the winter, when the plant is dormant.  It’s also a good time to prune out any dead  branches to eliminate breakage from winter storms. 
  • Work hard all summer and early fall to water plants thoroughly. Focus especially on young trees and fruiting trees as they will be growing more rapidly. Once the ground freezes, watering can cause damage. 
  • Fruiting trees are best pruned in the winter months and just before spring’s arrival.
• Fertilizing is done during the growing season. Although roots will still be growing until the ground freezes, wait until the spring to start fertilizing as it encourages growth both above and below ground.
• Next up, we have mulching. 
  • Mulching will be most effective when done before the first frost but, if the frost sneaks up on you before you’ve done it, that’s okay too! As long as you put it down before snowfall, it’ll help. Mulch is a great weed deterrent, it helps to retain moisture, and it helps to keep roots from getting damaged. Overall, mulching isn’t too complicated. The hardest part tends to be knowing how much you’ll end up needing. When applying mulch, it’s important to avoid the “mulch mountain”. Mulch should be spread evenly, wide, and low. It should not be piled high up the trunk. In fact, it’s best to avoid it touching the trunk at all.  This would be a great time to use some of those fall leaves that aren’t fully broken down yet!  When we refer to mulch, this is more of a general term for various types of ground cover. You can use leaf litter, leaf compost, straw, or wood chips. As long as you’re creating a wide barrier to protect the roots, you are likely doing just fine!
• Another option for winterizing that is especially beneficial to young trees and fruit trees is wrapping. You’ve likely seen trees with their trunks wrapped in burlap or fabric. But don’t use a plastic wrap as it can hold moisture and cause rot on the trunk.  Wraps can be used year-round to help prevent sunburns, fungus, and pests. In the winter though, it can help prevent damage caused by freezing and the subsequent rot that can come with thaws. 

Helpful Links 

As always, we give a thanks to The Arbor Day Foundation and encourage our readers to check out the amazing impact they have on our planet!

Plant Me Green. detailed guide to winterizing

Proven Winners, Stacey Hirvela, Winterizing Trees and Shrubs