Winter Burn is Really, Really Bad This Year
laurel with winter burn damage
Have you noticed the huge amount of evergreens that look dead or burned this spring? This is especially noticeable on broadleaf evergreens like schip laurels and even more obvious in plants that are most exposed to the wind. They should be green right now but they’re full of brown!
What’s going on here? Are these plants dead or dying? Why did this happen to me and all my neighbors?!
In a recent lecture Margery Daughtrey of Cornell University’s Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center points to winter burn in a recent workshop. She reminded us that December ‘22 had an intense cold snap, high winds, and solar radiation observed and recorded all in one week. The damage caused to plants is called winter burn.
Winter Cold Dip Dec. 2022
MY PLANTS ARE SUFFERING FROM WINTER BURN! NOW WHAT?
Winter Plant Protection is an organic service we offer to help prevent this damage - usually in younger plants. But if the damage is already done, what can be done?
Wind and weather-damaged trees and shrubs are not necessarily dead and are not necessarily going to die. Their affected leaves will drop and they will need to grow new ones. They have suffered a great stress following a summer of drought. This may cause compounding plant health issues.
Winter burned plants need a healthy boost of energy to bounce back and put out new growth. They need a strong base of rich soil more than usual. Our organic solution is compost tea - the best sustainable fertilization.
Contact us today for a free inspection or if you have any questions about compost tea, winter plant protection and the health of your trees and shrubs.