Some plants need a bit more help to get through winter weather. Protection from wind and cold can help your plant get a healthier start in the spring.

Your objective is to keep your plant from drying out in the low humidity of winter and to reduce effects of wind chill.

The easiest thing to do is to mulch your smaller plants. This adds a protective layer to keep the roots warmer. Regular wood mulch may be too heavy so use something like straw. Note that straw and hay are completely different products. Hay is dried grass and often has seeds attached. If you don’t want random types of grass to appear in the spring, use straw which is typically the stems left over after oats have been harvested. There are no seeds.

Your other option is to burlap-wrap your shrubs. Start by setting four or more stakes in the ground, placing them a few inches away from the foliage. Staple or fasten the end of the burlap to a stake and wrap it around a couple times. Cut and fasten the end. For a bit of extra protection - and to hold the burlap’s shape - fill the burlap with leaves from your trees.

It also helps to fold over the top, but be sure that the burlap is supported enough that a heavy snowfall will not crush your plant.

As an added bonus, the burlap will help protect your shrubs from hungry deer.

In the spring remove the burlap when you are sure that freezing weather has passed. You can leave the stakes in the ground in case there’s a cold snap and you need to put the burlap back for a couple of days.

Stay warm!