Winters in Westchester County, NY, can be brutal with all the snow, freezing temperatures, and limited sunlight. But you are not the only one feeling the pain—your trees and shrubs get cold too. That’s why it is important to make sure your plantings are properly cared for in the cold winter months. Here are some tips from a landscape company on how to properly care for trees and shrubs during the winter season in your area.
Proper Pruning
Pruning is one aspect of tree and shrub care that some homeowners tend to neglect. This maintenance step ensures that any dead weight is removed from the plant, to reduce stress and redirect its resources toward the parts that need it the most. Depending on the plant, most pruning can and should be done in the early winter season. When all the foliage has dropped, it becomes easier to see the structure of the plant and determine what and where should be pruned. It also means that the plant has less to sustain during the cold months, making it easier for it to survive the winter. Once the spring comes, a well-pruned tree or shrub will have a fast, lush return as all its stored energy should quickly and easily be directed to new growth.
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Applying Mulch
Mulch is very important for trees and shrubs as it protects the roots from frost. A proper mulching should ideally be done at the beginning of the winter season. This involves an application of at least a few inches of mulch. Cedar mulch is a great option as cedar is naturally resistant to fungus and decay. So if you choose cedar mulch, you’ll find that as it thaws out in the springtime, you won’t have to worry about disease contaminating your plants from excess moisture. It also can repel different types of undesirable pests, like ticks. Eventually, any mulch will decompose over time and work its way into the ground. So, using a natural mulch like cedar is a good choice for most landscapes, especially over artificially dyed mulches.
Feed with Fertilizer
Just like hibernating animals, trees and shrubs need nutrients to sustain them over the winter season. A good fertilizer will make sure that sensitive shrubs can survive the winter with enough food. Just because a shrub is hardy does not mean it can survive the winter if neglected, so making sure it’s fed for the winter is important. The same goes for trees, and especially young saplings. Applying a winter fertilizer is a must if you want your tree to survive. However, homeowners who try it on their own can easily misapply fertilizer and put too much, which can result in contamination and even death for the tree or shrub.
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With these winter tips for your trees and shrubs, they will be happy and healthy even while outside covered in snow. Snow-covered trees and shrubs make beautiful winter scenes, so we want to make sure your plantings are well-equipped to survive. Our landscaping experts helps prepare landscapes for every season. Contact us today for more information about how to get landscaping services in your area.