In spring, summer and fall, people sorta have an open season on each other – only in the winter, in the mountains, can you have longer, quiet stretches of time when you can savor belonging to yourself. (Ruth Stout)

Winter Matters/Protecting Against Frost and Cold

There is a lot to be said for choosing plants that will thrive in your garden, whatever the season, but restricting your choices is no fun and can make your garden look a bit boring. If you want to include some favorite tender plants, winter protection will often be needed. The measures you can take to safeguard against wind, frost, cold chills and snow, range from temporary overnight coverings to elaborate insulation that stays in place throughout the winter months.

You can save yourself a lot of effort by planning your garden carefully. Always avoid planting potentially tender plants in known frost pockets – instead, site them in sheltered areas. Frost pockets are identified as follows: Because cold air is heavy and dense, it flows down slopes and settles in low-lying areas such as valleys and hollows. Frost is more likely to occur in these areas  than in neighboring areas. A frost pocket may also occur behind a wall or hedge. Thinning the obstruction will help to prevent the cold air from being trapped behind it.

Young plants are more prone to winter damage than fully established ones, so protection may be needed only for the first few years. Never feed too late in the season since this stimulates soft, new growth that can be damaged by the cold.  Plants that flower early in the year often need more protection than those that flower later.

Move tender containers-plants into sheltered areas as soon as winter arrives, since their roots can easily freeze and die.  Wrap the pots in insulating material such as burlap, bubble plastic, newspaper or even old curtains. This has the added benefit of protecting the pot itself, which may crack or crumble in severe winter.

Protect roses from extreme cold by mounting soil around their bases before the temperatures drop very low, covering the stems as much as possible. In the spring be sure to remember to remove this mounted soil.

Snow can cause a lot of damage, particularly if followed by strong winds. Its sheer weight can crush foliage, and break stems and branches of small plants, hedges and trees. Snow frames or polytunnels work well to protect young plants in winter, but be sure this type of protection is strong enough to stay in place in a windstorm. Galvanized wire can be carefully wrapped around evergreens so that their branches are held together and cannot be forced apart by snow.

Call the University of California-Cooperative Extension at 532-5695 or email me at bettyhensley@mlode.com with any winter Mountain Gardening questions or concerns you might have. Happy New Year and God Bless.