The colder months have arrived. How do you ensure your plants and trees survive the weather? Follow these easy tips and tricks to give your garden a better chance of survival.
Mulch
Mulch ads important nutrients to the soil, but most importantly for winter, it can help keep heat from the sun in the ground for longer, thus preventing freezing of the soil and subsequently the roots of your plants and trees. It also prevents water evaporation from the top layers of soil.
Ad a fresh ring of mulch under and around all your plants, trees and shrubs but avoid packing to close to the stems and trunks. This could lead to disease and stem/wood rot.
Water in the morning
To avoid soggy soil that could potentially freeze during nighttime temperatures, water your plants and trees in the morning so that the water has enough time to be absorbed by the soil and plants and the excess water can drain away before night fall.
Cover and wrap during freezing temperatures
Keep an eye on the weather forecast and cover or wrap your frost sensitive plants in advance to avoid frost burn. You can wrap your tree trunks with cloth to prevent the water from freezing and cracking the tree trunk.
Do a health inspection regularly
Use the winter months to examine your plants and trees and check for dead leaves and branches. Listen carefully to your trees – if you hear creaking, that is a sign of a damaged branch. You should call your tree feller immediately as this could pose a threat to your safety.
Pests, like the Ambrosia Beetle will be less active, but that does not mean they are gone. Look out for the signs and call us immediately if you see wood frass, tiny ballpen tip size holes in the wood, dead branches or leaves or sugar volcanoes with sap running from them.
The best time to prune is late July
Most plants and trees go dormant during winter to conserve energy during the time when the days are shorter, and the sun is cooler. Because of this dormancy, this is the best time to prune and shape your trees and shrubs. This will give your trees and plants better chance to bounce back, and you won’t be stunting any new growth. A lot of trees and plants lose foliage, which makes it easier to reach all areas of the plants and trees.
