FEBRUARY, 2016
I know I asked for snow, but did it really have to be 3 ft!! I hope everyone managed alright. Fortunately, most of us maintained power throughout the ordeal which was a huge gift. I was so consumed with snow removal around the house that I never bothered to remove the snow from my evergreens. Some shrubs are still completely covered by snow, and others may have been badly damaged by the plow. We’ll just have to wait, and take stock in the spring.
Perusing plant catalogs this time of year is a favorite ritual for many gardeners. Planning that perfect addition to our already crowded gardens is a pleasure that’s tough to resist. Happy hunting.
SNOW & ICE
Try to brush heavy snow off of evergreen trees and shrubs.
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about ice. If you attempt to break off the ice, you are likely to damage the plant even more. Just hope the ice melts as quickly as possible. In the spring, careful pruning can fix most of the winter damage. New spring growth will take care of the rest.
THINKING ABOUT ADDING TO YOUR LANDSCAPING IN THE SPRING? It’s not too soon to give me a call. I’ll be happy to help you with your plans.
DO CONTACT YOUR LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR NOW. If you know there’s a real good chance that you will have winter damage that will need attention this spring, do try to get a date on your contractor’s schedule. The schedule for the spring will be filling up quickly. If you have a special occasion coming up this season, do share that information with your contractor. They will usually try to accommodate these requests.
The DEER will be voracious. Spray everything on the first sunny day we have. Be on the lookout for browsing in case you will need to take more drastic measures, such as wrapping your shrubs with deer mesh. Check existing deer mesh for holes. In one case, the deer made a slit near the bottom, and came in under the fence.
Stay warm, and remember, you can always call if you have any questions.
