Temperatures here in Westchester and Fairfield County have remained mild, but with high 30s predicted next week, we can be confident the dry cold weather is creeping near. For us, winter is a time for hibernation; avoiding the outdoors, sleeping more, eating comfort foods and keeping warm by a fire. Since trees and shrubs are rooted outside, there is no escaping the prolonged dry and cold weather which can be particularly damaging, especially to evergreens. When evergreens are continuously exposed to freezing temps, they experience desiccation; a state of extreme dryness. What does evergreen desiccation looks like? We’ve all seen it, a beautiful looking evergreen speckled with light brown blotches from winter scorch (see picture above). To prevent this from happening, we recommend applying an anti-desiccant spray to all your azaleas, rhododendrons, hollies or any needled evergreens. Our anti-desiccant solution, leaves a thin waxy film on the surface of the plant, sealing off it’s tiny pores and preventing any moisture from evaporating.
Here at Emerald Tree and Shrub Care, our crews monitor the climate’s effects on your evergreens very closely. We start off by recommending an anti-desiccant spray right before temps drop to freezing, usually in Mid to Late-November. We spray both the upper and lower leaf surface, making sure to seal the entire plant. As winter progresses, if it’s particularly cold and dry, we may recommend a follow up spray in January or February.
If you want to protect your plants and shrubs from the cold and harsh winter that the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting, call today to schedule an application of Anti-Desiccant spray to all your evergreens, hollies, azaleas and rhododendrons. 914-725-0441.
