Protect Your Evergreens In Winter With Antidesiccants
Winter can be harsh on trees and shrubs in our area. When the weather is very cold and the ground freezes, plants are unable to absorb water from the surrounding soil. So, instead, they use up the water stored in their leaves and stems. This can be very damaging for evergreens, which retain their leaves in winter.
Applying an antidesiccant spray to certain evergreens’ foliage is a good way of avoiding winter damage to evergreens. The antidesiccant adds an additional oily or waxy coating to the leaves, keeping the moisture inside. Many evergreens in our area are especially vulnerable to winter damage — particularly holly, rhododendron, cherry laurel, skip laurel, mountain laurel, Japanese skimmia, leucothoe, aucuba and boxwood. We recommend using an antidesiccant on these plants in early winter, and another application in late-January to mid-February if the weather breaks.
Another thing to do throughout the fall and winter season is to water evergreens whenever the weather is conducive to do so. Even a once a week drenching will go a long way. Many of the stressed and dieback conditions we experienced this season are due to the abnormally dry weather last year and earlier this year. Be mindful of newly planted materials as it typically takes three growing seasons to become established.
Antidesiccants are biodegradable and will wear off the leaves come spring.
LOCATIONS:
Lower Westchester County, NY and New York City
58 Beechwood Ave, New Rochelle, NY 10801
914-576-0193
Upper Westchester (North of I-287)
15 Broadway, Hawthorne, NY 10532
914-741-1510
Fairfield County, Connecticut
80 Lincoln Avenue, Stamford CT 06902
203-348-4111
Bergen & Passaic Counties, NJ
504 High Mountain Road, North Haledon, NJ 07508
973-636-6711
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