Winter Plant Protection

It’s time to get your outdoor living area ready for the winter months. Your gardens will look so much better next spring if you put a little time into them now! When feeding and watering and preparing gardens, be sure to pull out as many weeds as possible; any perennial weeds left in will come back with a vengeance next spring.All plants should be watered well in late November including trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, roses and lawns. Shrubs should have Ramik bait put around them to prevent mouse and rodent damage. Plants should be mulched to help retain moisture over winter and to protect their roots. Valuable plants should also have Repellex applied approximately once per month over the winter months. Repellex will keep deer and rabbits from munching on them.All plants will benefit from a fall feeding. Hydrangeas, evergreens and broadleaf evergreens would appreciate a feeding of Holly Tone. Most other shrubs and trees would prefer a feeding of Plant Tone. For roses, a feeding of Dairy Doo cow manure and bone meal would be perfect. For perennials and ornamental grasses, use George’s Mix*. Vines and Clematis would also benefit from George’s Mix*.Lawns especially need a boost at this time of year. Be sure to feed with Fertilome Winterizer, which is chocked full of the nutrients and trace elements that grass plants need to thicken up now and have a healthier start next spring. An application now of Repellex mole repellent would hold down the mole activity during the winter too.Most plants will withstand the Michigan winters. A few plants need to be wrapped in burlap to prevent wind burn. The ones that are likely to need the most wind protection are broadleaf evergreens, such as Pieris Japonica, and new plantings that are not in a protected spot in your yard. For an easier way to wrap your plants, try the new shrub jackets – just wrap plant and tie.Cloud Cover is a great protector for all broadleaf evergreens. Cloud cover is a clear spray that seals in moisture and reduces stress caused by temperature extremes. Here is a partial list of the items that would benefit from a spray of cloud cover.

• Boxwood
• Rhododendron
• Pieris Japonica
• Azalea
• Holly Plants
• Hinoki Cypress

To further prevent rabbit and deer damage, some trees should have trunk wrap put on including the following:

• Fruit Trees
• Top grafted trees
• Rubrum Maples
• Japanese Maples
• Lilac trees
• Topiary trees
• Newly planted trees

An ounce of protection now will yield big results that will allow you to enjoy your outdoor living area to the fullest next spring.*George’s Mix is easy to make and can be used both fall and spring for most annuals and perennials. Please click here for the recipe.