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Plants that are diseased or deficient in nutrients are more susceptible to winter injury than strong, health ones.
Provide a fall fertilization after plants are dormant but before soil temperature drops below 45-50 F. Avoid late summer or early fall fertilization while plants are still active as this stimulates late fall growth that is killed by the cold.
Proper pruning at an appropriate time throughout the year is also important in reducing damage by ice and snow. Remove any weak, narrow-angled, V-shaped crotches. Avoid late summer pruning that stimulates new, tender growth and reduces the supply of nutrients available to the plant through the winter.
Water before
ground freezes
Proper watering can be a critical factor. If autumn rains have been insufficient, give your plants a deep soaking that will supply water to the entire root system before the ground freezes. This practice is especially important for broad and needled evergreens. Watering during January, February, and March when there are warm days is also important.
Mulching is an important cultural technique throughout the year. It reduces weeds, helps control erosion, and reduces water loss. This last factor is of importance in preventing winter damage. A two to four inch layer of a mulch material, such as pinebark, fir bark, or pine needles, will reduce water loss and help to maintain uniform soil moisture around the roots. It also will help reduce the alternate freezing and thawing of the soil which causes some shallow-rooted plants to heave out of the soil.
Dr. Diane Relf is an environmental horticulturist with Virginia Cooperative Extension and is a member of the faculty of Virginia Tech.
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