Gardening Tip of the Month
Jan 2011
Winter is Here!
Winter is officially here! Not too much to do in the garden this time of year, but here are a few key things you should'nt forget.
Trees and Shrubs should'nt be allowed to completely dry out during the winter, this is mostly only a concern for fairly newly planted items. They may look dorment, but the roots are still growing. Normally they are fine, but if we have a dry spell, wait for a warm day when the ground is not frozen and water them.
Evergreens can also get "desiccation" in the winter. This simply means they get too dried out from the wind. Watering when it's warm enough helps, but don't drown em, plants need considerably less water in the winter. We also carry a couple of different protective sprays you can put on evergreens to keep the wind from drying them out too bad, if they are small enough for that to be practical.
If you havent already pruned stuff back it's better to wait for late Winter/Early Spring before you do any pruning. The dead/dorment top growth works as a great insulator to help protect the roots in the winter.
If a plant has hollow stems, as some do, and you prune them in the winter, you can cause moisture to go down to the roots and kill the plant. Leave the pruning till fall, you will be surprised how much "Winter Interest" it will created in your garden, when covered with frost and snow this winter.
Happy Gardening from Windsor Hardware and Supply Co.