Growing Tips

Preparing Your Trees for Winter

Do not fertilize your trees! Until your seedlings are larger, it's not necessary to fertilize them at all. If you do want to fertilize, it should be done in early June just as the seedlings are starting to grow. Look for a tree and shrub fertilizer that has a high nitrogen and phosphorus number (first two numbers on the bag). Once per season should be adequate.

Stop watering your trees and shrubs around mid-August. The reason for this is that excess watering in the fall could encourage new growth, which would lead to winter injury. Apply one good deep watering again in mid-September. Give your evergreens another watering in late fall after the other trees have lost their leaves, but before the ground freezes (November). This will help to lessen drought stress in early spring.

Some trees, especially cedars and junipers, can be affected by drying in late winter if they are not protected from desiccating winds. Some smooth-barked trees like young apples can also suffer sunscald and subsequent bark splitting if not protected. Burlap or cardboard barriers erected on the southwest side will help block the wind and shade delicate bark tissue. These can be erected in late fall.

Mulching tender tea roses and other perennials with materials such as grass clippings, leaves and straw is recommended. Do this before the ground freezes, but not too early, or you may encourage new growth. Native roses and hedge roses do not need to be mulched to survive the winter.

In shelterbelts, fall chemical weed control can be done. With older plantings, where no new trees are to be planted the next year, Linuron (Lorox) can be applied to the soil once the trees have gone dormant (lost their leaves). Linuron will help give good pre-emergent, broad-leaf weed control in spring. It can also be applied in early spring before the trees leaf out again. For more information on this chemical, contact your local agricultural representative.