Heber Valley Winter Care Guide
How to Winterize Trees and Shrubs in Heber Valley
Heber Valley winters bring dry air, deep cold, heavy snow and hungry deer. A little work in October and November keeps your trees and shrubs healthy until spring, especially anything planted in the last year or two.
This guide from Country Gardens & Nursery walks through deep watering, mulching, wrapping and deer protection, in the order you should do them.
Why It Matters
Why Trees and Shrubs Need Winter Prep Here
At roughly 5,600 feet, Heber sees long stretches below freezing, low humidity and bright winter sun. Evergreens keep losing moisture through their needles all winter, and when the ground is frozen their roots cannot replace it. That is what causes winter burn: brown, scorched needles that show up in March.
Young trees and shrubs are most at risk because their roots have not spread yet. Anything planted this year or last year deserves extra attention, along with broadleaf evergreens, thin-barked trees and plants in windy, exposed spots.
Step by Step
Your Fall and Winter Checklist
- Deep water before the ground freezes. From October until the soil freezes, give trees and shrubs a slow soak every 10 to 14 days when rain is scarce. Water at the drip line, not against the trunk, and aim to wet the soil 12 inches deep.
- Water again during winter thaws. When daytime temperatures climb above 40 degrees and the ground is not frozen or snow covered, water once a month at midday so it soaks in before nightfall. This is the best defense against winter burn.
- Mulch the root zone. Spread 2 to 4 inches of mulch from near the trunk out toward the drip line, keeping it a few inches away from the bark. Mulch holds moisture and evens out soil temperature.
- Wrap thin-barked young trees. Maples, lindens, fruit trees and other smooth-barked young trees can crack on sunny winter days. Wrap the trunk from the ground to the first branches in late fall and remove the wrap in spring.
- Protect against deer and rodents. Put up a cage of wire fencing around young trees and favorite shrubs before the snow pushes deer down into town, and add a guard at the base of trunks to stop voles and rabbits.
- Skip the fertilizer and heavy pruning. Fertilizer and big pruning cuts this late push tender growth that freezes. Save major pruning for late winter.
Not sure how much water your soil holds? Our deep soak watering tips explain how to tell when you have watered enough.
Plant by Plant
What Each Type of Plant Needs
Spruce, Pine and Fir
Evergreens need the most winter water because they never stop losing moisture. Keep them well soaked through fall and water during midwinter thaws. A burlap screen on the south and west sides helps newly planted trees in windy spots. Our Colorado blue spruce handles Heber winters well once established.
Junipers, Arborvitae and Boxwood
Heavy snow can split upright shrubs like arborvitae. Loosely tie the branches together with soft twine in late fall, and brush off heavy snow with a broom after storms. Boxwood is prone to winter burn, so a burlap screen on the sunny side helps.
When to Do What
Use this as a rough calendar for Heber Valley. Weather shifts from year to year, so watch the forecast and the soil.
- October Deep water every 10 to 14 days, finish fall planting, spread mulch
- Early November Final deep soak, wrap young trunks, put up deer cages
- December to February Water during thaws, brush heavy snow off shrubs
- Late February to March Prune dormant trees, check for damage
- April Remove trunk wraps and burlap, pull mulch back from stems
Lilac, Potentilla and Dogwood
Most deciduous shrubs sold for Heber yards are fully hardy. Give them a deep soak before freeze up and a layer of mulch. Hold off on pruning spring bloomers like lilac until after they flower, or you will cut off next year's blooms.
Maples, Lindens and Fruit Trees
Smooth, thin bark on young trees can split from sunscald when bright winter sun warms the trunk and the night refreezes it. Wrap trunks for the first few winters, and add a hardware cloth guard at the base to keep voles and rabbits off.
Before the Snow Flies
Mulch, Soil and Supplies
A fresh layer of mulch is one of the easiest ways to protect roots through a Heber winter. If you are topping up several beds, our bulk delivery brings mulch and landscape soil right to your driveway.
Stop by the nursery for tree wrap, burlap, deer fencing and watering supplies, or ask our team to look at a photo of a tree you are worried about. If you would rather have someone else handle it, our personal gardener service can help put your yard to bed.
Get Ready for Winter
Questions About Your Trees and Shrubs?
Our team has been helping Heber Valley gardeners through mountain winters for years. Visit us in Heber City or reach out, and we will help you build a winter plan for your yard. Still planting this fall? See our guide to the best evergreens to plant this fall.