WINTER CARE OF NEWLY PLANTED EVERGREENS

Evergreens can differ slightly in their requirements and care compared to deciduous shrubs and trees, especially when newly planted. It’s certainly ok to plant evergreens through the winter months and such a planting programme will be at an advantage over spring planted specimens as some establishment will already be in progress. But there are some tips to heed to make sure your new evergreens transplant successfully. Try to avoid pruning during the first Winter; if necessary prune or trim in early Spring, or late Summer/Autumn. Because evergreens of course will keep most of their leaf overwinter, they are more liable to lose moisture unlike their deciduous counterparts. So make sure they are kept watered if there are any dry spells over winter. Applying a mulch will help in this respect, and also deter weed seedlings from appearing in Spring, and will also help insulate the rootstock from severe frosts. Wind protection is also important for the same reason. It can damage or scorch larger evergreen leaves and also aids dehydration. If you can erect a temporary screen of mesh around individual specimens, or maybe a make-shift mesh fence if you’ve just planted a hedge,. Then this will aid establishment a great deal. And if it is an open windy aspect make sure you counteract wind-rock with a good stake. Remember the roots won’t yet have anchored into the soil. Specimens in containers will also benefit from such protection and watering. Some evergreens which should really only be planted in Spring or Autumn include Leptospermum, Olearia, Cistus, Laurus noblilis and Laurus nobilis aurea, Freemontodendron, evergreen Azaleas and Grisselina. The Photo is of Eleagnus ebingei Gilt Edge, a good structural evergreen for the border, or as a hedge and useful too for floral arranging.