Winter’s arrival means a period of transition, not just for animals, but for plants as well. Understanding how plants go through this phase and what they need to better survive winter can be important. That’s why the folks at Chestnut Hill Outdoors do more than just sell you plants. In order to ensure you receive the maximum benefit from their products, they also provide sound advice and instruction on proper planting and care.
As hours of daylight wane and temperatures drop, plants cease growing and enter a state of dormancy, not unlike animals going into hibernation. Some people don’t realize this. “We’ve even had people ask why the leaves are falling off their trees,” said a spokesperson for Chestnut Hill Outdoors. It’s perfectly normal and you need not be alarmed, but it is a signal that it might be time to take some protective measures.
The Right Zone
First and foremost, you should choose plants that are specifically adapted for the climate in your area. One of the best tools for determining this is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. To ensure you pick the right plants for your region, Chestnut Hill Outdoors lists these zones for each of their products. They also check all orders to ensure plant species are appropriately suited to their destinations so you’ll know you have the right varieties when they arrive.
Insulate the Roots
Next, apply a layer of mulch on top of the soil around the tree. This will act as insulation, protecting the root systems of young plants and trees from the cold. During the following growing season it will also reduce weeds and help retain moisture. It’s best to use natural materials like wood chips, leaf/yard compost, sawdust or straw. Also, be sure not to pile mulch around the trunk as it could create a favorable microenvironment for rot or rodents.
Protection from Depredation
With herbaceous food becoming scarce, rabbits and small rodents turn their attention to alternate food sources and often use the protection of tall, matted grass, mulch or snow to gnaw the bark off trees. This can severely damage young trees, stunt growth next spring and in severe cases they can actually girdle and kill the tree.
Wrapping the trunk is helpful but a better option is Grow Tubes. These translucent plastic tubes act as mini-greenhouses, insulating and protecting young trees from temperature extremes as well as gnawing pests. During the growing season, they also help with weed control and moisture retention, which can be especially important in locations where there is less opportunity for care, such as forest or wildlife plantings, or where there are predation by deer, mice and other critters.
For more on selecting and protecting the right food plot and deer attractant plants, visit ChestnutHillOutdoors.com, or call (855) 386-7826.
Chestnut Hill is the best place for you to purchase your food plot and deer attractant plants because they offer a large selection, their plants are specifically bred to attract deer, and they offer customers different sized plants at different levels of growth.
For more information, please visit: WWW.CHESTNUTHILLOUTDOORS.COM.