Monica's Weekly Gardening Tip: Winter Preventative Maintenance for Trees, Plants, and Shrubs

With the East Coast wrapped in snow and ice here are a few preventative maintenance : Brush heavy snow from evergreens like Boxwood, Holly, Laurel, and Japanese Maples to prevent breakage

Construct a temporary wind screen or wrap plants in burlap to protecy from the wind

Use magnesium chloride for de-icing instead of sodium choloride to help prevent plant damage

To protect plants from salts, use birdseed or sand for traction

As food sources decline, wildlife damage to plants can increase. Use environmentally safe repellents where deer are a problem