Updated on January 25, 2024

Pro Tips

Winter Protection for Trees, Shrubs, and Plants

Cold weather, the weight of snow and ice, rodents, and other animals could damage your garden and landscaping during the winter. Find out how to protect your trees, shrubs, and other plants!

Before You Start

Note that the winter protection you’ll need depends on:

the region or plant hardiness zone;
the hardiness of the tree, shrub, or plant in question;
wind exposure;
plant age; and
exposure to snow from a snow blower or to de-icing salts.

Plants well adapted to site conditions, sheltered from the wind, placed away from the road, and planted a number of years ago will have a better chance of survival, even without protection! Carefully selecting and positioning your plants from the start could save you a lot of work in terms of winter protection.

A Few General Tips

Set up winter protection around mid-November once the temperature falls to around 5°C at night and when your plants have lost all their leaves.
Make sure the plants can breathe under the winter protection; leave an opening at the bottom.
Remove the protection as soon as the ground thaws.
We recommended removing the protection on a cloudy day to prevent sun damage.
Use posts or stakes near pedestrian crossings and driveways to show where the shrubs are.
Surround any plants exposed to de-icing salts or blown snow with a protective wrap.

Man protecting young trees for the winter

Protect Young Trees from Rodents

Did you know? Small rodents are the biggest threat to young trees in winter! Since food is scarce during the cold season, they feed on the soft bark of young trees, which can cause them irreparable damage.

Here are some tips for protecting trees with trunks less than 2" in diameter:

Wrap a white plastic spiral around the trunk
Install trellis or wire mesh around the trunk
Regularly pack snow around the trunks to block access to rodents

Shield Shrubs from the Weight of the Snow

In general, you only need to protect shrubs from the weight of the snow by tying them with rope once they’ve lost their leaves.

Shrubs sensitive to frost (varies based on plant hardiness zone)

Protect less hardy shrubs using a snow fence filled with dead leaves and covered with burlap or a winter cover to provide insulation.

Evergreen shrubs

Some shrubs (like Buxus and Rhododendrons) keep their foliage during the winter. Since they are usually sensitive to cold and wind, we recommend protecting them with burlap or a winter cover.

Keep Conifers from Breaking or Bending

Upright conifers (e.g., fir, spruce, pine, hemlock, and some cedars)

The first winter after planting them, add a generous layer of mulch at the base to protect the roots from temperature shifts. Next, add a few stakes around the plant, which you can surround with a snow fence and protective fabric, ensuring that they don’t touch the conifer’s foliage. For the following years, all you need to do is tie them up with a net or rope to prevent the branches from breaking or bending under the weight of snow and ice.

Globose conifers (e.g., some thujas/cedars and some spruces)

Use protective netting or burlap to pull and hold the branches in place. This will prevent them from bending under the weight of snow and ice.

Creeping conifers (junipers)

A good layer of snow will do the trick. No need for other precautions to protect them!

Prune Perennial Before the First Frosts

After the first frosts (i.e., when the foliage has faded), we recommend pruning perennials older than three years old to 2” from the ground, then spreading a layer of mulch or dead leaves. Don’t prune young perennials.

Pamper Rose Bushes

A generous layer of snow is usually enough to protect well-rooted and hardy roses. However, additional protection will be critical for newly planted or cold-sensitive roses to survive. In November, before installing winter protection (like a cone or insulating wrap), do a maintenance prune. As soon as the frost ends, a thorough prune will foster flowering and keep the plant healthy.

Watch Those Lovely Grasses All Winter Long

Grasses have great decorative potential, even in winter. You can wait until spring to prune them!

Create a Protective Layer for the Lawn

To remove or not to remove dead leaves in the fall, that is the question. But did you know that they can make for excellent mulch that will protect and feed your lawn? However, remember to run your mower over the pile of leaves to shred them. It’s important to prevent a crust from forming so that grass blades can catch the light and breathe.

Mulch the Vegetable Garden

We recommend never leaving your garden soil uncovered after the last fall harvests. To adequately protect the soil, you can add a generous layer of ramial chipped wood (RCW), natural cedar mulch, or organic mulch (such as dead leaves). In addition to maintaining life in the soil, this layer will naturally fertilize the soil.

Winter Protection for Trees, Shrubs, and Plants

Before You Start

A Few General Tips

Protect Young Trees from Rodents

Shield Shrubs from the Weight of the Snow

Keep Conifers from Breaking or Bending

Prune Perennial Before the First Frosts

Pamper Rose Bushes

Watch Those Lovely Grasses All Winter Long

Create a Protective Layer for the Lawn

Mulch the Vegetable Garden

Suggested Products

Gazebos and pergolas

Outdoor power equipment

Barbecues and smokers

Winter Protection for Trees, Shrubs, and Plants

Before You Start

A Few General Tips

Protect Young Trees from Rodents

Shield Shrubs from the Weight of the Snow

Keep Conifers from Breaking or Bending

Prune Perennial Before the First Frosts

Pamper Rose Bushes

Watch Those Lovely Grasses All Winter Long

Create a Protective Layer for the Lawn

Mulch the Vegetable Garden

Suggested Products

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