One job we’ve enjoyed this past week in December was a tree and shrub planting project. Though many people wouldn’t consider wintertime feasible for yard planting, we’ve come up with tips for how it can work!
Soil
When planting in the winter, our first consideration is knowing how frozen the ground is. If the ground is too frozen, trees and shrubs have a harder time absorbing water and nutrients at the root level. Though plants go dormant in the winter, they still have some root growth. In winter, plants actually put most of their energy into digging their roots deeper because the elements can be rough.
If you live in a climate with warmer winters, or are experiencing a warm spell, planting when the ground isn’t frozen is a viable option for your plants. In winter all the plant will focus on is growing its roots.
Types of Plants
Our second consideration to take into account is the type of tree or shrub you want planted. Evergreens are one you’ll want to avoid planting in the winter. Because evergreens don’t lose their needles, they use more energy to keep their needles through winter than trees and plants that go completely dormant and lose their leaves. Winter planting may cause too much stress for an evergreen. And the process of getting enough nutrients to the roots for growth may damage the tree. Other trees and plants that don’t need to maintain leaves, while also digging their roots deeper for water, can be planted in the winter.
Age
Our final consideration is the age of the plant. Young trees and shrubs should be taken care of carefully, especially in the winter. Young plants need to stay well watered and warm. They are not strong enough to maintain the root growth necessary to survive the harder ground with less sunlight that winter brings. On the other hand, older plants with a couple of seasons on them can survive the winter. The more mature the tree or shrub you want planted, the more likely it will thrive after getting rooted in the winter.
If you have specific questions to plants you want in the ground this time of the year, send Cutting Edge Tree Professionals an email to contact@cuttingedgetreeprofessionals.com or call us at (814) 240-2172. We’re here to serve our clients through the entire year, even with winter planting!
Sources:
https://blog.davey.com/2019/02/can-you-plant-trees-shrubs-or-evergreens-in-the-winter/
https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/gardening/g2854/plants-that-bloom-in-winter/