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Our North Shore weather conditions give us challenges in that it freezes up and then thaws repeatedly. These are harsh conditions for some evergreens. The leaves can become dried out. I use a product called Wilt-Pruf (https://amzn.to/4j8KO0F). It is an anti-desiccant spray for broadleaf evergreens like boxwood, hollies and rhododendrons. On a warm December day, when it is not windy, I will spray my two sky pencil shrubs, the upright hollies formally called ilex, from top to bottom. Some people wrap these in burlap, which is fine, but do not do it overly tight. I will use Christmas lights to tie mine together so they do not separate in the wind and freezing rain. This spray is only for evergreens, not hydrangeas or roses.
When using salt on your walks and driveway, consider your nearby grass and plants. Maybe try an alternative like calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) or sand for traction. CMA will not increase the soil salinity the way salt does. It is also much less corrosive to stone and concrete walkways. It is also safer for plants and pets and waterways. CMA prevents ice from bonding to the surface and helps loosen it so it is easier to shovel. Keep on top of your shoveling and when you do toss the shovel full of salted sludge, try not to toss the load on your hydrangeas or roses.
Winterberry is beautiful this time of year against the snow. The birds will eat the berries later in the season as the berries soften up. Winter Gold is a variety that is especially stunning. Recently, when I was outside in my yard, I mistakenly thought I left my Christmas lights on by accident and it was just these berries!
When it was warm this past week, I saw a good opportunity to take care of my apple, pear, plum, cherry and peach trees. On a warmish (40 degrees) and not too windy day, I sprayed my fruit trees with dormant oil.
Spray free gardens are often discussed and debated over and over again in the gardening world. Here, we are judgment free. I spray, because I love fresh fruit. However, not all sprays are created equal and timing is everything. For instance, there are not any bees out right now when I am spraying. I purposely spray when it is the least harmful to beneficial insects. I use a small hand pump sprayer I've had since 2014. Through the years, I've bought too many sprayers to count, and they all have broken except this small Solo one (https://amzn.to/4917ueB)*. I do have to refill it three times each time I use it, so maybe it is time to ask Santa for the larger edition. I love the fine mist that shoots out. It never clogs up and it is easy to handle with my small hands.
I typically mix one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of dormant oil (mineral oil) (https://amzn.to/4b4gYIA) and if I am going to be completely honest, one tablespoon of copper sulfate (https://amzn.to/3MWVinL). I shake and mix it really well and spray the leafless branches of my tiny fruit trees from top to bottom. I make sure to get underneath and the backsides until every branch drips with the spray. (My house is now blue from the copper). I try to do this three times during the winter on warmer days. And, if there is any mix left over, I mist my newer, more precious rose bushes.
The purpose of this spraying on my fruit trees is to smother overwintering pests and their eggs such as scale, aphids and spider mites in particular. My fruit trees take priority in my yard. The copper spray is to control a variety of fungal diseases that the young pear and apple trees tend to get. I am trying to give them a strong start. Ultimately, a healthy and strong fruit tree will overcome these issues as it matures. When the flowers and bees come out in the spring, I do not spray.
Bird feeders are my entertainment in the winter. If you enjoy all things birds, I highly recommend you read the delightful blog on the Bird Watchers General Store website here: https://www.birdwatchersgeneralstore.com/ask-the-bird-folks/. I found the Bird Watchers General Store in Orleans after visiting a lovely older gentleman on the Cape and marveling at his bird feeder set up. He recommended this shop and my husband is regretting I ever heard of it! Lots of great information on this website. I was most surprised to learn that the owner of this shop only recommends one kind of bird seed. He is convinced that birds only like sunflower hearts or chips. There is no mess and the smaller birds can handle it well. This blog is the perfect read on a cold winter's day, and my feeders are packed.
*I do not receive any financial benefit from this Solo or Amazon link, unlike the other links where I may make upwards of 25-50 cents if you make a purchase. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
ABOUT COLLEEN
Colleen has been playing in soil since her ditch days on Onondaga Hill, New York, where her parents taught her to plant and harvest vegetables on their 50-plus acres of farmland.
She is co-president of the Cottage Gardeners of Marblehead and Swampscott and helped run the club’s successful plant sale the past two years. Colleen also runs a subcommittee called D & D (dig and divide).
She is the mother of two young men — also known as root diggers and weed pullers — and adoring wife of the “amazing obelisk maker.”
Colleen likes to wear wellies year-round, eye other people’s gardens and stop at every garden center in New England. She obsesses over plants and insects and wishes she had paid more attention to science in school.
