UGA Cooperative Extension

Bryan County Extension
Agriculture & Natural Resources

Winter Timely Tips

You don't want to continue to hibernate during those cold days of winter. There are plenty of things to keep us busy the next couple of months before the spring rush. The following are some chores that you can do now that will pay off in the spring.

Water shrubs in your landscape throughout the winter if the soil is dry. Evergreen plants transpire water from their leaves whenever the air temperature is above 40 degrees F.

Remove honeysuckle and other weedy vines from deciduous plants while the plants are still leafless. It's easier now to distinguish between the weeds and the desired plants.

Winter is the time to apply miscible oil sprays to kill overwintering mites, aphids, and scale on deciduous trees and shrubs. Spray miscible oils when the temperatures are above 40 degrees F., but not within 24 hours of a freeze. Because the oil kills insects by suffocation, avoid spraying on windy days to ensure that all surfaces of the plants are covered.

Remember, trees and shrubs have an economic value. If killed or damaged by ice or accident, they may be covered by homeowners insurance.

Check valuable trees and shrubs for tent caterpillars egg masses and bag worms. Remove them to reduce the number of destructive pests this spring. Tent caterpillar egg masses are gray and varnished colored and form a collar around twigs. Bag worms look somewhat like a pine cone hanging at the end of branches.