“It has been unusually warm this winter so far, and there has been almost no snow. Do I need to be doing any special maintenance in my garden as a response to the weather thus far?”
— Gertrude Salb, Highland Park
There really is not much to do differently in the garden now, in response to the weather. It is a good idea to take a walk about your garden every week or so to monitor for animal damage so you can install or adjust existing barriers as needed.
It is easier to notice animal damage in the garden when you see the tracks in the snow as a clue to check plants. Look for gnawed bark at the base of trees and shrubs. Rabbits can cause considerable damage over the course of winter by feeding on shrubs. Chicken wire will work well to exclude rabbits.
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Deer browsing is common in many areas, including Highland Park. Hanging soap or hair in branches will not work as a deterrent for deer browsing. Use physical barriers such as wire or plastic netting to protect plants from deer. Yews and arborvitae are deer favorites and will likely be browsed in areas where deer are active. Repellents can be applied when temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Rain will wash off the repellents over time, so one application in the fall may not provide protection for the entire winter.
Any evergreen shrubs growing in containers outside will benefit from supplemental water when it is warm and dry to reduce the chances of winter burn. Evergreens continue to lose water through their leaves over winter, and the growing medium in the containers can dry out during warm periods without rain. Deciduous shrubs in containers will also benefit from supplemental water.
If you installed any new plants in summer or fall and did not mulch them, it would be a good idea to mulch them now to mitigate temperature extremes in the soil. The freeze-thaw cycles can push newly planted small plants like ground covers that were grown in container out of the ground. I like using shredded bark mulch at about 2 inches deep for trees and shrubs and 1 inch deep for perennials and ground covers. There are other benefits to mulching during the growing season, such as conserving water in the soil and reducing weeds.
The warm days in winter are good opportunities to do dormant pruning on trees and shrubs, so go out and prune in comfort.
For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at [email protected]. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.