Winter damage

Failure to protect fruit trees and landscape ornamentals against gnawing rodents, rabbits and deer this fall can result in a nasty surprise next spring: girdled trunks or stems, and broken branches. Late fall is the time to get protection in place and safeguard the health of your plants. Prevention is the only way to protect trees and shrubs from injury since very little can be done to salvage plants once the damage is done.

Cold temperatures, drying sun and wind, road salt, snow and ice can all take a toll on landscape plants during winter. But homeowners can use the strategies below to prevent major damage and minimize winter’s toll. Now, while daytime temperatures are still fairly warm, is the time to prepare your plants for winter.

Fall Watering

Looking at your pine trees this time of year, you may see generalized yellowing of the tree, brown needles or brown branches. Several problems could be responsible, including winter burn and winter drying, Diplodia tip blight or pine wilt. And unfortunately, some trees can be affected by more than one problem at a time.

Wildlife damage on woody landscape plants is very common, particularly in winter when cold weather and declining food resources make our landscape plants look pretty tasty! Common culprits include rabbits, voles and deer.

Today, we’re going to focus on preventing deer damage, but for more information on minimizing the impact of rabbits and voles, check out “4 Fall Season Tips for Living with Wildlife”.

Many homes have patios and decks complete with large pots containing shrubs or trees. These containers provide a feeling of permanence and beauty to the area. We see pictures in garden magazines of beautiful winter containers with boxwood, yew, arborvitae or holly in southern gardens. But unfortunately, containerized plants usually die during Nebraska winters if not provided with good winter protection.

We’ve had our first taste of winter but while opinions may vary on the desirability of snow - particularly the amount that falls! - snow actually has several benefits for landscapes and gardens.