Strategies to Prevent Winter Burn

Strategies to Prevent Winter Burn | Alexandria VA

After the coldest winter in recent memory, plummeting temperatures along with high winds left many plants with cases of winter burn. There are three causes of winter burn: low soil moisture, freezing temperatures, and harsh wind. When these three factors are in place, plants loose water from their leaves faster then they can replace it (transpiration). With that being said, one can probably guess that massive plant damage took place over this past winter.

Knowing there was a high probability of winter burn this season, we strongly advise everyone to check their plants this spring for any damage. You begin by looking for any brown, yellow, or discoloration on the foliage. For a deeper look, scrape back the bark of the plant and see what color it is; if it is brown, then this is an indicator of damage. To take care of this, you will want to provide maintenance to your plants by pruning the deadwood out, in order to promote new. Don’t automatically assume the plant is dead if you see signs of winter burn.

Below are strategies to help prevent winter burn for next year:

1. Water adequately. Make sure to have 1 inch per week or saturation to the depth of 12 to 18 inches. Only water the plants if the ground is not frozen.

Read the rest of the strategies to help prevent winter burn here...

Published in Lawns and Landscaping

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