Even though winter is still a few months away, it’s important to make sure the trees and shrubs in your lawn are prepared for the colder temperatures and lower humidity that come with the seasonal changes in Tennessee and Mississippi. Fall is the time to start getting your plants ready for these cool conditions so that you can continue enjoying them this winter and for years to come. The professionals at Greenkeeper have years of experience, an extensive Six-Step Tree and Shrub Care Program, and several recommendations for proper winter tree and shrub 
maintenance.
Keep Trees And Shrubs Hydrated in the Early Fall
Just like us, plants need to have plenty of moisture in order to survive. Without adequate watering, your plants might not be able to survive the relatively dryer conditions during Tennessee and Mississippi winters. Pre-winter watering is particularly important for evergreen trees like cedars and firs. You should continue watering your trees and shrubs just as you did during the summer for the first few weeks of autumn. However, after a few weeks, you can stop watering in order to prompt the trees to enter their winter dormancy phase, and deciduous trees will begin to lose their leaves. This will also keep your plants from producing new growth that won’t be able to survive the winter. Once trees and shrubs become dormant, you should give them one last, deep watering in the late fall before the ground freezes to make sure they stay hydrated throughout the winter.
Refresh Mulch Around Trees And Shrubs
You should also make sure to refresh the mulch around your trees and shrubs before the winter sets in. Mulch helps to protect and insulate your plants, keeping their roots warm during the cold winter months. If you have leaves that you raked up from your yard, you can shred them and use them as mulch, saving yourself some money and a trip to the home improvement store!
Make sure not to place mulch too close to the trunks of your trees or shrubs, as mulch resting against the trunks can cause your plants to rot or become infected with diseases.
Trimming And Pruning
Another crucial step to prepare your deciduous trees and shrubs for the winter is trimming or pruning their branches. This step not only helps make your plants the shape and size that you want them to be but will also improve their growth and health in the spring season and beyond. However, you shouldn’t trim your trees and shrubs too early in the autumn. To avoid causing the plant to produce new growth that won’t be winter-hardy, it’s best to wait to trim your plants until they have gone dormant for the winter and lost all their leaves.
Get A Dormant Oil and Anti-Desiccant Treatment
At Greenkeeper, our Six-Step Tree and Shrub Care Program includes an important step for winter tree maintenance: a dormant oil treatment. This insecticide treatment helps to create a protective seal around your plants, helping to curb overwintering insects and their eggs, such as aphids and other plant bugs, that can cause infestation problems in the spring. We also recommend an additional application of dormant oil in the spring season.
If you have evergreen trees or shrubs, you may also want to consider applying an anti-desiccant treatment to the plants in your yard. In the winter as humidity decreases, trees and shrubs are at a higher risk for desiccation or drying out. While making sure plants are properly watered before going dormant is important, anti-desiccant sprays provide your trees and shrubs with a protective layer that helps to prevent water from leaving the plant all winter long.
Call Greenkeeper To Make Sure Your Trees And Shrubs Are Ready For Winter!
If you live in southwest Tennessee or northwest Mississippi and want to make sure your trees and shrubs are well prepared for the upcoming winter season, talk to the professionals at Greenkeeper. We have a tried-and-true Six-Step Tree and Shrub Care Program that will keep your trees healthy in the winter and all year round. You can view our services on our website, reach out via our contact form, or you can give us a call at 901-861-2338 for Tennessee residents or 662-895-2088 for Mississippi residents.
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