Winter Care

TREES & SHRUBS

Winter is a great time for dormant pruning, thinning, shaping, and reducing the size of the plant. Take care when pruning. You should not remove more than ⅓ of the original size of the tree or shrub. Otherwise you risk potentially stressing the plant. See more pruning tips here.

EVERGREENS

To protect evergreens from wind-burn discoloration and browning, you can spray broadleaf evergreens with an anti-desiccant. Or place a burlap barrier on the south and south west sides of the tree. You can construct the barrier using wooden posts, burlap, staple gun and twine to create a screen. This protects the evergreen from damaging winds that can burn the foliage. Please note: Anti-desiccant can cause discoloration on Colorado Spruce. If your evergreens do have winter burn, wait until mid-spring to prune out the damaged foliage. The evergreen will likely produce growth where you’ve removed the damage.

PERENNIALS

Cut back perennials in the fall by trimming only the brown, dried flower stems, leaves and stalks to a few inches above the soil, and treat with an anti-desiccant spray. You can also mulch over your perennials to help insulate the root zone during the winter months, but it isn’t necessary. Please note: Some perennials are evergreen and do not die back. Do not trim back green plant material as this may kill the plant.

PLOWING & SALT

It’s recommended you mark pavement edges to help prevent damaging lawns and irrigation systems during snow plowing. To avoid damaging your landscape, carefully plan where to push and pile snow. Although salt is naturally occurring, and we try to use salt tolerant plants along pavement edges, excessive salt will kill lawn, trees, and plants. It’s critical to apply salt carefully and, when necessary, install a physical barrier such as a burlap or silt fence to keep salt off sensitive areas. Rice’s is not responsible for any plant damage due to salt exposure.

With Rice’s Estate Landscape Management, we handle the work, so you don’t have to worry. You can even include snowplowing in your services. Contact us today to get started.