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You are here: Experts > Style > Landscaping > Shrubs > crepe myrtle
Shrubs - crepe myrtle
Expert: Gill Borchardt - 10/23/2009
Question
I planted three bushes this year. How do I protect them this winter. Cover with commercial mulch (?), leaves(?), styrofoam cone(?) or just leave them as is. They are less then two feet high and with a two foot spread. We are in Minneapolis MN. and the plants are rated zone 4.
Answer
Hello Rochelle
In cold areas it's never a bad idea to protect plants through the cold weather, especially during their first winter. So by all means, give the roots a really deep mulch (3").
Commercial mulch is fine. If you have leaf-mould* that's good too, but don't use uncomposted leafs as they could harbour pests and diseases.
If you get heavy snow falls, it may be a advisable to brush or knock the snow off the tops of the plants, so that it doesn't crush them, as at this stage in their growth they may not be strong enough to withstand the weight! As the plants grow and age, the stems will become stronger and may not need you to do that.
* Leaf-mould - leafs that have been stored either in a wire mesh enclosure or in black plastic bags, with a few holes punched through, until they have rotted down to form a soil- or compost- like substance.
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