Johnson's Nursery - Question 08

I am going to plant several evergreens this fall. Are there any special tips or instructions I should be following when planting late in the year?

Montgomery Blue Spruce

Evergreen leaves can take the form of needles, scales (arborvitae, for example), or leaves such as holly, rhododendron and boxwood. All plants take in water through their root systems, use what they need for their growth and good health and then release moisture through their leaves. Since evergreens do not drop all of their leaves, they continue to lose moisture throughout the winter months. This can be difficult for them once the ground freezes, because the roots cannot absorb moisture when the soil is frozen. The browning that occurs on evergreens during the winter is often due to needles or leaves drying out due to lack of moisture in them.

Follow these tips to keep your evergreens healthy through the winter months:

Evergreens must be planted early enough in fall to allow their root systems to grow into place, allowing them to take in more water. For this reason our deadline for planting evergreens is November 1.
After planting, mulch the soil around evergreens to a 3 to 4 inch depth.
Continue watering evergreens if rainfall averages less than 1 to 2 inches per week. Discontinue watering when the soil begins to freeze.

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