When it comes to putting your garden to bed for the winter, there are a few things that you can do to help your evergreens make it through the cold weather looking their best.

Make sure you don’t prune your evergreens at this time of year. Any pruning should be completed by the beginning of September. 

Pruning invigorates new growth and if the new growth has not had enough time to harden off before the cold weather hits, it will be more susceptible to damage during the winter months.

The main thing that can affect your evergreens throughout the cold months is winter desiccation. 

This is when the foliage loses more moisture than the roots can replace, which can be the case if planted in an area where there are constant high winds. 

The best thing you can do for all your evergreens is to make sure you give them a slow, deep watering just prior to the ground freezing up for the winter. This is especially true for your broadleaf evergreens such as rhododendrons, hollies and boxwoods. 

If the soil around the roots is moist going into the winter, then, if we have an early February thaw, the moisture is right there available to the roots. 

Do you know that rhododendrons have a built-in system to help protect themselves against cold windy days? 

The pores, out of which they could lose moisture from, are located on the underside of the leaves. So, to protect themselves on cold windy days, they roll their leaves under to reduce the moisture lost.

The tighter their leaves are rolled, the colder the day is.

People often ask if they must wrap their evergreens with burlap for the winter for protection. The quick answer is no.

If plants are properly placed — that is, planted in the right sunlight conditions and the right exposure — they should not need protection for the winter. 

Why plant an evergreen to enjoy the foliage colour in the winter and then cover it with burlap? 

The only time they would need protection is if they are getting constant strong winds, such as off a lake, or if they are located close to a road where they are getting salt spray. 

If this is the case, instead of wrapping the entire shrub, consider putting up a barrier just on the side receiving the heavy winds or salt. 

The best way to create a barrier is to put in a couple of stakes and attach either a couple of layers of burlap between them or a piece of plywood.  

If you rap burlap just around the plant itself, snow will get caught in the burlap and can crush foliage or damage branches. 

Never cover the top of the plant. It is always best to wrap the burlap around stakes and not the plant itself.  

If you have some plants that are marginally hardy (zone 7), they may benefit from the protection of burlap and mulching over the roots with shredded leaves. 

Another possible winter hazard for pyramidal evergreens, such as emerald cedars and pyramid junipers, is that they can be damaged by heavy, wet snow, causing the multi-leaders to split apart. 

To prevent this from occurring, some people will tie rope around the entire perimeter of the shrub which does detract from its appearance. 

Instead, simply tie together some of the main stems from the inside of the shrub with a stretch tie or with something that will not cut into the wood (e.g. wire through an old piece of hose).  

By following the tips above, it will make a big difference in how your evergreens come through the winter.  

It might take a bit of time and effort, but your evergreens will thank you for it.

Joanne Young is a Niagara-on-the-Lake garden expert and coach. See her website at joanneyoung.ca