If you happen to notice a bronze or burnt appearance to your evergreens once spring rolls around, do not fret! Your evergreen is likely not dead, but instead may have winter burn. With a few simple steps, you can easily prevent, treat or fix winter burn on your evergreens without damage. Read further to see how!
What Is Winter Burn?
Winter burn can be a common problem for evergreens and result in a browning or bronzing appearance to the needles. This is due to a combination of a dehydrated evergreen exposed to strong winds and below freezing temperatures. The area most exposed to strong winds and freezing temperatures will be affected most.
Additionally, a dehydrated evergreen, or new growth that hasn’t had a chance to harden prior to a frost, are most susceptible to winter burn.
How To Prevent Winter Burn
There are several options you can use to try to prevent or minimize winter burn damage to your evergreens. With a few simple strategies, here is what you can do to prevent winter burn!
- Wilt stop: A clear spray applied to evergreens in either fall or spring, when temperatures are just between35-45 degrees F. It helps to coat the needles in a clear protective film. One word of caution, do not use on blue spruce evergreens as it will change the color of the spruce!
- Mulch-Mulching 3-4 inch layer around the base of your evergreens in the fall will help to retain moisture.
- Burlap or freeze cloth-Using either burlap or a frost protective cloth to wrap around your evergreen prior your first frost in the fall, will help to prevent winter burn damage.
- Water-Ensuring your evergreens are properly watered is an important step to preventing winter burn! If your evergreens are underwatered, they can become brittle and are more prone to damage.
How To Fix Winter Burn
A simple and easy way to treat or fix winter burn is to wait. This is important because you do not want to accidentally prune away new growth, and if you wait the new growth will often grow to hide the bronzed needles.
Additionally, overtime these needles will dry out and fall out all on their own! If any dead branches remain after new growth has been established then it is okay to prune.
Here’s a summary of how to fix winter burn:
- Water and fertilize your evergreen to provide an extra boost of nutrition.
- Wait until new growth has become established.
- Prune ONLY damaged, dead or diseased branches after new growth has been established. You do not want to accidentally chop off potential new growth.
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