Weathering The Winter

Give your flowers, vegetables and trees a fighting chance this winter with these tips on how to lessen the damage caused by wind, frost and snow

By Jeff Schnaufer
CTW Features

Prevent a deep freeze in your flower bed with some simple preparations. Image courtesy Stock.XCHNG

Roses are red, violets are blue. If you want your plants to weather the winter, here's what you can do.

"I think by and large Mother Nature does a great job protecting our plants from the cold," says Bob Matthews, originator of the online gardening community, The Gardener’s Network. "But there's often something we can do to make it better."

Take roses, for instance. "Mulching around roses will help keep the root ball from freezing in northern climates, which will kill the bush," says Matthews. "You can use garden soil, mulch from a mulch pile, or finely chopped leaves, though leaves tend to blow away. In the spring, you just rake it off."

Azaleas and other perennials could also use mulch before winter sets in, helping to protect the root from freezing.

Another threat to plants in northern climates comes from repetitive freezing and thawing in the spring, which causes soil to expand and contract. This process, sometimes called heaving, can damage the roots of some plants.

Master gardener Maureen "Mo" Gilmer, the author of 15 books on gardening and the environment, suggests adding protective mulch around the base of the plant after the soil freezes in the fall.

Damage to semi-tropical plants and citrus trees from uncommon or early frosts may also be prevented before it occurs.

"If you hear of a frost warning, there's a product that actually works to prevent frost damage," says Frank McDonough, a botanical information consultant for the Los Angeles County Arboretum.

"An anti-transpirant such as Cloud Cover is a soluble plastic that sprays on and keeps the plant from drying out in a frost. It works for a one or two day cold snap."

Gilmer also suggests draping cloth bed sheets over plants that may be damaged by an early frost.

If frost does overcome your garden's vegetable plants, carefully inspect your produce before discarding anything.

"Crops such as winter squash can often be harvested and stored, even if the vines are damaged by frost," says Dr. Barbara H. Ingham, extension food scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Carrots and potatoes which have not yet been harvested will probably survive just fine." Even more delicate items such as peppers and tomatoes may be salvaged if the damage is not too severe, Ingham says. However, she warns against canning tomatoes that are ripened off the vine indoors or that are harvested from dead vines: The pH of these fruits is often not sufficient to ensure safety.

"Inspect all garden items and discard fruits or vegetables that are blackened due to frost damage," Ingham says. "Some crops are very sensitive to chill-injury, such as eggplant and cucumber. These items will not last long once frost-damaged and should not be canned or preserved."

In northern climates, winter brings perpetual cold, dry winds that can dehydrate some plants. Evergreens like Juniper can even lose foliage. To prevent this, Gilmer suggests wrapping your evergreen in burlap or erecting wind shelters on windward side to protect them from wind. Burlap is also used on plants within foundation planting to protect the structural integrity of symmetrical evergreens, Gilmer says. This prevents them from bending over or losing their shape from excessive snowfall.

Copyright © CTW Features