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Winter Care of Trees and Shrubs by Yvonne Cunnington

Winter care of trees and shrubs is an important consideration in cold regions.
Shade trees, ornamental flowering shrubs and evergreens are the biggest plant investments you'll make for your garden. If you live in a cold-weather zone, you know that winter can be hard on garden plants. Here are tips for protecting your valuable woody plants.
Tips for winter care of trees and shrubs

Most hardy evergreens do not need to be wrapped.
Watering: Good winter care starts with thorough watering in the fall.
When the garden season draws to a close, it is tempting to just forget about your plants.
However you should continue to water all woody plants - especially newly planted trees and shrubs and all evergreens in the fall.
Water them well until the ground freezes, and make sure you water adequately through a dry fall. These plants will need the equivalent of one inch of rain per week. (In a wet fall, you can relax.)

Evergreens and broadleaf evergreens don't lose their leaves, so they need a good store of moisture going into winter because they continue to transpire (give off water vapor) through the cold months.
Most winter damage to evergreens doesn't actually come from cold, but from the drying effects of late winter sun and wind. With the soil frozen hard, plant roots can't take up water to make up for moisture losses from transpiration and, as a result, dehydration can cause browning or burning of foliage.
Winter care of trees and shrubs: To wrap or not?
Personally, when considering winter care of trees and shrubs, I don't go crazy with burlap wrap. It's extra work and doesn't look great. After all, the whole point of evergreens is to give you something green to look at in the winter.
Contrary to popular belief, most established evergreens hardy in your region don't need to be wrapped.
However, as with many things in gardening, there are exceptions. Some evergreens, such as dwarf Alberta spruce, are prone to winter-burn, so they should be covered, as should newly planted evergreens. New plants haven't had time grow extensive roots that help them take up enough moisture to prevent excessive water losses.
To make a windbreak around vulnerable plants, hammer four wooden stakes into the ground and staple on a burlap covering. Never use plastic, or your plants could "cook" on sunny days. (Remember the greenhouse effect?)
MORE TIPS FOR WINTER CARE OF WOODY PLANTS

Some trees, like this European beech,keep their leaves until spring
If your plants get salt spray from the road, burlap may help, but wrap them with a double layer, not a single layer. To avoid having to cover your evergreens, don't plant them near a road that gets salted, or plant salt-tolerant species such as junipers.
Protect broadleaf evergreens such as rhododendron, pieris and laurel from the drying effects of winter sun and wind with an anti-desiccant spray such as Wilt-Pruf, which coats foliage with a protective waxy film. You can also wrap with burlap, if you must.
To help preserve moisture, cover the root area of evergreens and broadleaf evergreens with a three-inch thick layer of leaf or bark mulch.
Protect upright evergreen junipers and cedars from breakage due to ice and snow by wrapping branches with heavy string or mesh covers sold for this purpose. Once fastened into place, you'll hardly see the string or mesh.
Protect young trees by putting plastic tree guards around the bottom of their trunks to prevent damage from gnawers such as rabbits and mice. Make sure the tree guards go high enough - over the snow line. Always remove them in the spring because it looks better and you don't have the problem of the guards trapping moisture against the bark in the summer and attracting insects.
If rabbits are a big problem in your area, winter care of trees and shrubs should include putting chicken wire cages around the plants they find most tasty.
Prevent rabbit and rodent damage with a pest repellent spray that you apply on lower trunks, branches and stems. Such products generally have to be reapplied after wet weather.

FlowerGardeningMadeEasy.com

Be sure to check out Yvonne Cunnington's site she provides beautiful images and important advise.
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Attracting Birds To The Winter Garden Written on October 6, 2008. Written by Steve Boulden

Throughout the spring and summer, we are treated to the melodious songs and chattering conversations of a variety of birds in our trees and shrubs. As summer turns to autumn, then autumn to winter, the songs die down and the conversations are less frequent. Is there a way to keep the birds around during the winter too? You bet! Every region is blessed with a variety of non-migratory birds. With just the right tasty treats, you can draw these non-migratory birds to your yard. Food, water and protection are the three things you need to provide for your feathered friends.
When you consider feeders, have mercy on the little birds who will visit your yard. Be sure to supply tube feeders for them, designed in such a way to keep out larger birds. Thistle feeders are a favorite of finches. Thistle ocks Shepherd hooks make great thistle feeders and come in various sizes. Green feeders with weighted trap doors will keep out squirrels and crows.
When selecting food, you have a number of choices. For small birds, millet is definitely the seed of choice. Wild bird seed combinations will ring the dinner bell for a large variety of wintering feathered friends. Look for a combination that includes black sunflower seeds, as well as nuts and dried fruits. Making a combination like this available will bring in such birds as cardinals, catbirds, finches, chickadees and nuthatches.
In addition to the seed combinations mentioned above, try these ideas: spread peanut butter on pinecones. You can mix in a little bacon fat with the peanut butter and then roll the pinecone in bread or cereal crumbs. Also, string popcorn, cranberries and dried fruit and hang from a tree. Beware the squirrels will not be denied the opportunity to visit this smorgasbord!
NOTE - Before you begin feeding birds during the winter, decide up front you will do this consistently. Your feathered friends will come to rely on you for regular nourishment during the winter and may go hungry if the cafeteria suddenly closes up shop.
Water is another important concern in winter. Check with your lawn & garden center for an immersible heater. Place this in the bottom of a birdbath and it will keep the water from freezing. In addition to birdbaths, various other shallow containers can be used to offer fresh water to birds saucers, inverted trashcan lids and pie tins. Be sure to monitor the depth of the water because birds do like water that is more than two or three inches deep.
Consider also birds need shelter in the winter. Incorporate in your garden a double blessing for them by planting plants that offer food and shelter. Popular choices include pyracantha, juniper and holly, as well as Japanese barberry. Do keep in mind; the Japanese barberry is considered an invasive exotic plant, so use it with care.

CHECK OUT MORE FROM STEVE BOULDEN by visiting
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Vertical Gardening by Fran Sorin

Vertical gardening is exactly what it sounds like: gardening vertically rather than horizontally, as we normally do. It's ideal for those with limited space who garden in a small yard or on a terrace, deck or patio, but it also can be used effectively by any gardener who is interested in experiencing different types of gardening. You can use fences, walls, trellises, arbors, pergolas and many different types of containers to garden vertically. As you add lush, draping plants, you can't help but appreciate the sense of artistry that vertical gardening can bring to the landscape. A vertical garden creates privacy and helps hide unattractive views. It also can cool off your landscape and help shade your property. It allows you to grow more plants with less space while offering excellent air circulation for those plants. You'll be able to enjoy your tomatoes and cantaloupes ripening at eye level. And plants suited for vertical gardening tend to have less disease because some pests don't climb vertically. Another bonus: You won't have to weed vertical gardens as frequently because you'll be using less soil. Vertical gardening also allows people with disabilities or those who can't bend or kneel to continue gardening.StructuresReady to get started? Here are several structures that are ideal for vertical gardening: Fences. These are a great way to make use of upward-growing plants, especially climbers and those that have tendrils. And if your fence is unsightly, vertical gardening is a great way to hide it. Trellises. These structures stand alone and can be made of wood, metal, stone, bricks, plastic or even PVC. Arbors or pergolas. There are many styles and materials from which to choose, and these structures can either stand alone or be attached to your house. My rule of thumb is that all outside gardening structures should complement the style of your home. Miscellaneous. Poles, cages, string or large stakes all can work to support your vertical plantings. Also, containers are the foundation for several combinations of vertical gardening. Some unusual objects upon which plants can drape or be trained to grow upward are barrels, old window frames and bed frames or even old kitchen stools. Lots of plants work well in a vertical garden, including the following:Vegetables. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, beans, winter squash and gourds are perfect choices. Some of these plants will entwine themselves around your structure of choice, while others will need to be tied to it for support. Another ideal vegetable is corn because it needs a lot of vertical space to flourish. One of the benefits of growing corn is that you can plant other veggies along with it, such as beans and zucchini, and use the corn stalks as a supporting structure. You'll get double the harvest, and it will look beautiful. Vines. A vertical flowering vine can add beauty to your landscape. Plus, it will attract birds and butterflies to your garden for you to enjoy. Morning glory, clematis, climbing rose, honeysuckle vine, sweet potato vine and cardinal climber are good choices.Fruits. The larger fruits -- melons and pumpkins -- can be trained to grow vertically and can be supported with old pantyhose, strips of cloth or, depending on the size of the fruit, heavy rope. Tie them loosely to avoid damaging the vines. Grapes and kiwi fruit also grow well vertically.

Find more by Fran Sorin here. http://www.fransorin.com/index.asp