Rodents threaten trees, shrubs in dead of winter
February is the longest winter month of the year, despite being only 28 days. Depending on where you live in the Catskill Mountain/ Hudson Valley region, you may or may not have snow cover on the ground right now. Up north, there is certainly lots of snow, and I heard that the ice on some lakes in the Adirondacks exceeds 20 inches right now.
Snow does provide an insulating blanket for trees, shrubs and perennials, but it does have some drawbacks as well. The longer snow covers the ground over the course of the winter, the more likely it is that mice and other rodents may girdle trees and shrubs.
Mice take advantage of deep snow by building hidden networks of tunnels that provides protection and cover from predators. These rodents are capable of reproducing in only 18 to 21 days when well fed, and the bark of woody plants plus the tissue directly beneath the bark (phloem tissue) is highly nutritious. Phloem is the tissue that transports food from the leaves to the roots and it is a concentrated source of carbohydrates.
If the mice eat not only the phloem but also the layer of cells directly beneath it (vascular cambium), the plant will usually die. This is called “girdling” and it happens every winter to some extent, but it can be devastating during winters with prolonged snow cover.
If you have fruit trees or crabapples or even lilacs, it is a good idea to shovel away the snow at their base and wrap the trunks with hardware cloth or place plastic tree guards around them. If you notice that girdling has occurred, there is nothing to do but hope that the vascular cambium is still intact. Girdled trees will often produce leaves in the spring and appear as if they are fine, but sometimes they are only responding to water uptake just like shrubs that are “forced.”
If you received cut flowers for Valentine’s Day, they can be made to last much longer if you change the water every couple of days. Make a fresh cut on the stems about an inch above the bottom when you do so. Do this with the stems under warm water in the sink and always use warm water that has set for a few minutes to allow oxygen to dissipate. Cut flowers will also last longer if placed in a cool room at night. They don’t need any sunlight, of course!
It is still too early to start seeds of most annuals or vegetables indoors, but a few flowers such as impatiens and a few vegetables such as leeks and onions may be started now. If you are really anxious to have something green and growing indoors right now, you can try some garbage gardening. You can cut the top off a carrot or a pineapple
Mice take advantage of deep snow by building hidden networks of tunnels that provides protection and cover from predators. These rodents are capable of reproducing in only 18 to 21 days when well fed.
and set it in a shallow tray with water and it will often sprout a new top. Potatoes will also sprout leaves from their “eyes” if placed in a plastic bag with an apple or a banana. The fruit gives off ethylene gas, which promotes the sprouting process.
Be careful not to overwater your houseplants now and do not apply any fertilizer until they show signs of new growth. Most of them will enjoy taking a hot shower with you if you bring them into a steamy bathroom!
Happy 99th Birthday to George Story on Feb. 22! Stop by Story’s Nursery in Freehold or another local garden center for a muchneeded breath of spring! A half hour spent in their greenhouses is a great remedy for cabin fever.