ABC News recently ran a story about the way that our current harsh winter conditions are making an impact on people’s landscapes. It was a little discouraging to find out that some parts of our landscapes and gardens just aren’t expected to recover this year.
“A lot of the damage is already done,” said landscape architect Joe Kresl. “Because that snow level has been so high up around the plants the rabbits are eating on the twigs.”
However, the article did suggest that you could shovel snow away from the base of your plants and cover them with cages if you want to give them some extra protection while you’re waiting for spring to come. You can also brush the snow off the plants, but be careful: you want to use an upward motion instead of a downward one to prevent delicate branches from breaking.
This article on cold hardiness is another useful resource. It helps explain some of the damage that’s being done to plants.
Rapid temperature fluctuations throughout the winter present the primary problem. Mulching your plants can help. It’s actually better to keep the roots of plants buried in frozen ground than it is for them to get comfortable in a warm-up only to be disappointed and stressed when temperatures drop again (kind of like the rest of us, in fact).
The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a late start to spring this year: a winter that will stretch far beyond the spring equinox on March 20th. That’s not good news for winter-weary Wisconsin or its plants. Still, all we can do is hang on and tough it out while coping with the cold as best as we can.
We install fences, gazebos, and pergolas in Meqon, Fox Point, Whitefish Bay and the rest of the Milwaukee metro area. We do install in winter whenever the ground isn’t frozen, so call us today for a free estimate!
