3 FAQs about Winter Burn

Winters in Piedmont, NC, can be brutal. Temperatures drop drastically and cause tremendous stress for shrubs and evergreens. Proper winter care is essential to ensuring your trees make it through the winter and emerge in the spring without winter burn. Most people assume that the evergreens and boxwood shrubs are hardy and built for cold temperatures. However, your trees and shrubs require extra care in the winter. Natures’s Select Piedmont takes pride in caring for evergreens, and here is what we want you to know about winter burn.

1. What Is Winter Burn?

Winter burn is something all evergreens and shrubs experience at some point. Hanging onto foliage takes a lot of energy and moisture, things that aren't readily available in the winter, despite all the snow. As colder temperatures settle in, the ground freezes, preventing melting ice and snow from penetrating the roots. Anytime the bright sun or harsh winds kick up, it pulls moisture out of the foliage, causing needles to turn brown and die.

2. How Can I Spot Winter Burn?

Winter burn can first be spotted on the tips of needles and then eventually entire sections of foliage. What's not surprising is that winter burn generally appears on the side that gets the most sun or wind exposure. Still, some evergreens never show signs or symptoms of winter burn until the snow melts and the smell of spring is in the air. It can be the turn of the season before any winter damage is noticed.

3. Can I Prevent Winter Burn?

Yes! Winter burn is preventable through proper care and fall treatment. For starters, you can mulch thoroughly around the base of your trees and shrubs, ensuring that you have a thick layer. The thicker the mulch, the more insulated the ground will stay during the colder months. Mulch also helps lock in moisture, ensuring your trees and shrubs have enough water to get through winter. Furthermore, a professional lawn care provider can treat your evergreens with a protective spray that locks in moisture and prevents winter burn.

We Take Care of Your Evergreens!

Caring for shrubs and trees is our specialty. In fact, Nature's Select Piedmont has employed certain practices to work with nature, not against it. If you're looking for expert lawn care in Greensboro, High Point, or Kernsville, NC, including disease and grub treatment, lawn aeration, and boxwood care, then contact us today at (336) 554-4554.