by Gail Anderson IGC Horticulturist
With the lack of snow this year, tender plants may suffer more than if they were covered with an insulating blanket of snow. The villain is the freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw cycle of our fluctuating weather. This may actually heave perennials right out of the ground, exposing their roots. Mulch can prevent frozen ground from thawing.
If you apply mulch too early, rodents will build condominiums in the mulch and munch away at your plants. Once the ground freezes rodents are less active. The best time to apply mulch is after the ground freezes but before it thaws again. So now’s the time.
Examples of mulches include salt marsh hay, pine needles, shredded leaves, and the cut-off boughs of your Christmas tree. Avoid packing the mulch against the stems of woody plants such as clematis. Cover the crowns of perennials and surround them with mulch. Just be sure the mulch is not soggy and that you remove the mulch no later than early April.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Dear Members,
Please leave your comments here.