Protecting trees and shrubs during winter is vital for maintaining a healthy, beautiful garden year after year. Freezing temperatures, strong winds, heavy snow, ice, salt spray, sunscald, and hungry wildlife can wreak havoc on even the hardiest plants. Fortunately, a wide range of effective, proven methods exist to safeguard your landscape from the harshest months. This comprehensive guide reviews the best ways to prepare, protect, and care for your trees and shrubs through winter so they emerge vigorous and ready for spring growth.

1. Mulch for Insulation and Moisture Control

Mulching is one of the most important winter protection strategies. Spread a thick layer (2–6 inches) of organic mulch—such as wood chips, shredded bark, straw, pine needles, or compost—around the base of trees and shrubs after the ground freezes.rocklandcce+2

• Benefits:

  • Insulates soil, regulating temperature and reducing freeze-thaw cycles that can damage roots

  • Conserves soil moisture and prevents winter drought

  • Suppresses early spring weeds

• How to apply:

  • Keep mulch a few inches back from trunks and stems to prevent rot

  • Apply after the first hard frost and remove or thin in early spring to avoid smothering new growth

2. Windbreaks and Shields

Drying winter winds can desiccate foliage and cause severe damage, particularly to evergreens and broadleaf varieties. To reduce wind exposure:gardeners+1

• Set up windbreaks like burlap screens or shrub jackets on the windward side of vulnerable plants

• Wrap susceptible shrubs and small trees loosely with burlap, geotextile blankets, or commercial plant covers

• For large or exposed properties, consider strategic planting of future windbreaks with taller trees or dense hedges

3. Remove Heavy Snow—But Don’t Break Ice

Heavy, wet snow can weigh down branches and cause breakage.

• Gently brush off snow from branches with a broom or gloved hand by pushing upward

• Don’t try to remove ice: attempting to hit or pry off ice usually causes more harm than good—let it melt naturallygardeners

4. Prevent Salt Damage

Road and sidewalk salt can splash onto plants, burning leaves, buds, and roots and causing brown, discolored needles or foliage.

• Shovel snow away from plantings before salting walkways or driveways

• Erect burlap or plastic barriers between salted areas and sensitive plants

• Use alternatives like sand, kitty litter, or sawdust on pathways when possibleaplustree+1

5. Water Well Before Winter

Give trees and shrubs a deep watering late in fall, just before the ground freezes, especially if autumn is dry. Moist roots are less prone to dehydration and winterkill.aplustree

• Do not water once ground has frozen; this can cause ice to expand and split roots

6. Avoid Late-Season Fertilizing and Pruning

Stop fertilizing trees and shrubs about six weeks before your regional first frost date.

• Late fall fertilizer, especially nitrogen-rich blends, encourages lush, tender new growth that’s susceptible to winter injuryrhs+1

• Delay major pruning until late winter or early spring for most trees and shrubs, unless removing diseased or storm-damaged limbs

7. Tie or Wrap Vulnerable Shrubs

For plants with spreading or brittle branches (like hydrangeas or boxwoods):

• Gently tie branches together with soft twine or jute into a loose upright bundle before snowfallbotanix

• This reduces snow load and prevents the shrub from splaying open or splitting

8. Use Protective Covers

• Burlap wraps, frost blankets, or specialty plant jackets provide a breathable, insulating layer

• Polystyrene cones or wooden structures can cover tender, compact shrubs (especially roses, young hydrangeas, or dwarf evergreens)espacepourlavie+1

• Ensure covers do not touch leaves directly, and secure them so they’re not lost in wind

9. Animal Damage Protection

Rodents and deer can chew bark, twigs, and buds when food is scarce.

• Wrap trunks with hardware cloth or flexible tree guards: Protects against rabbits, mice, and voles

• Install fencing or netting: Physically blocks deer, especially from young or fruit-bearing trees

• Bury barriers below the soil line where rodents may burrowyardandgarden.extension.iastate+1

10. Protect Potted Trees and Shrubs

Containers are more exposed to cold than plants in the ground.

• Move pots to sheltered spots, near buildings or into unheated garages, if possible

• Insulate pots by wrapping with burlap, bubble wrap, or by burying the entire pot in soil or mulch up to the rim

• Pile mulch, straw, or leaves around and over the pots for additional root protectionacreagenebraska+1

11. Plant Selection and Placement

• Choose tree and shrub species suited for your hardiness zone. Native and locally adapted varieties are much more likely to survive harsh winters with minimal intervention.aplustree

• Site new plantings in sheltered locations (e.g., south-facing walls or wind-protected spots) to shield from the worst of the cold and windrhs

12. Timing: When to Apply Protection

• Begin preparations in late fall, before the first hard frost

• Apply mulch after the ground is consistently frozen to prevent rodents from nesting under it, and remove temporary covers early in spring before buds swellespacepourlavie+1

Troubleshooting and Cautions

• Avoid plastic sheeting directly on branches—this traps moisture and encourages rot or fungal diseases.shrubhub+1

• Always remove or check wraps and guards in spring, as lingering protection can trap moisture or restrict growth.

• Watch for swelling buds in early spring, a cue to remove heavy mulches or covers to avoid smothering new shootsespacepourlavie

Special Cases

Young Trees

• Protect newly planted or young trees’ trunks with plastic spiral guards against frost cracks and sunscaldespacepourlavie

• Paint trunks with diluted white latex paint to deflect winter sun and reduce temperature swings

Evergreen Trees/Shrubs

• Evergreens lose moisture through leaves all winter. Shield from wind, water well in fall, and avoid heavy salting nearbybotanix+1

Summary Table: Key Ways to Protect Trees and Shrubs in Winter

Conclusion

Winter need not mean disaster for your landscape. With thoughtful preparation—mulching, wind and sun shields, animal barriers, careful watering, and plant selection—you’ll safeguard your garden’s trees and shrubs against seasonal hazards. Start these practices before the cold sets in, and monitor protection throughout the winter and into spring for healthy, resilient growth year after year.