``The ones that suffer the most are the evergreens because they have foliage that dries out. ``Winter mulches keep them insulated from those fake spring-like days we sometimes get.”Plants should be cared for in much the same way you care for humans, Patton said.``Plants that have an ample supply of moisture going into winter survive better,’’ said Dennis Patton, a horticulturist with Kansas State University Research and Extension. ``There are two primary seasons for mulching,” Patton said. ``The same goes for plants. ``Bare root plants require longer to establish than container plants. Sometimes people leave plant material for wintertime interest or where it catches leaves and snow for insulation and prevents erosion.But winter mulching covers the plants. Adding mulch also insulates plants, enriches topsoil and provides cover for native pollinators. Perennials planted late in the fall will not establish as quickly as those planted in spring. They experience more browning. You can help remedy that by watering while temperatures are still above freezing and before the ground hardens. ``Letting things go natural into winter is an emerging trend. ``With the proper diet and exercise, people are quicker to fend off diseases,” he said. ``Use a rain gauge or a trowel to measure your water output. People living in severe climates should remove hoses and hose attachments to allow faucets to properly drain through winter, Patton said. Most plants go dormant but still crave moisture, which poses practical problems for watering.”Mulching combined with watering helps considerably to avert winterkill.
Trees generally take one year to establish for each inch of trunk diameter,” Klett says in a fact sheet. Or use a 5-gallon bucket to slowly add water. ``If you have an older hose or a short hose that you can leave out in winter, you can connect and disconnect.”Just as we aren’t used to the cold after some warm days, ``neither are plants,” Patton said.”Soak the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. ``You put it down around plants in spring through summer to hold moisture and prevent weeds,’’ he said.. That reduces the risk of pipes icing up and fracturing.Washington: Wind-driven air and too little precipitation are common wintertime side effects that can damage drought-sensitive trees, lawns and shrubs.” And what about those end-of-season yard cleanups? Do they help plants survive winter? ``Forget about it,” Patton said.``I try to take advantage of those periods when the soil warms and you can water again,” Patton said.”Give landscape and foundation plants a last, healthy watering using sprinklers and soaking hoses before the onset of winter’s deep chill. They’re able to tolerate more  China Semi Rigid Hoses Factory stress.”Newly planted trees and shrubs are more susceptible to tissue damage than established plants, according to James Klett, a professor with the College of Agriculture Sciences at Colorado State University. ``That degree of saturation should provide enough moisture to reach most of the roots,” Patton said. That keeps plants cooler and protects them from warm winter days.