Coral bells may need to be dug and reset

Q. The mild Wisconsin winter that we just experienced caused my Heucheras (coral bells) to heave out of the ground even though I had them mulched with a thick layer of leaves. Should I add more soil on top of them, dig and reset them or dig, divide and replant them? If so, when?

A.

Alternating cold and warm weather causes soil to shift as it freezes and thaws. This can push perennials like coral bells and even bulbs out of the soil.

Some can be gently tamped back into place, while others with more roots exposed will need to be dug and reset at the proper depth. Do this as soon as you can and when the soil is moist but not wet.

Next year consider using evergreen boughs as a mulch. These provide better insulation and less risk of rot than leaves as mulch on top of plants for winter.

Use leaves on the soil surface to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, insulate the roots and improve the soil as they break down.

Wait for the ground to freeze before applying winter mulch over plants. The goal is to keep the ground consistently frozen throughout winter.

Q. My husband and I meant to prune our pussy willow before going out of town for a week. The plant has dropped its flowers and now has green leaves. It is too big for the spot and needs to be pruned. Can we still do it now?

A.

The best time to prune most plants is late winter to early spring before growth begins. Plants expend a lot of their stored energy producing new growth each year.

Pruning once leaf growth begins wastes some of that stored energy.

This won’t kill the plants but if done repeatedly can stunt them.

So consider waiting until the leaves are fully developed and have had time to replenish some of the energy used for spring growth.

This is often when spring flowering shrubs like forsythia, lilacs and bridal wreath spirea are pruned.

Pruning right after flowering allows you to enjoy the spring blossoms and manage their size if needed.

Q. My young apple tree has bark missing on one side. It looks like an animal has chewed through the bark. What can be done to save the tree?

A.

Rabbits and voles often feed on the bark of trees and shrubs over winter.

If the vessels carrying water and nutrients between the leaves and roots are damaged, the tree may suffer some dieback.

Fortunately, the damage is only on one side of the tree trunk.

Wait and see how the tree leafs out this spring. Do not paint the wound or cover it, as this traps moisture and increases the risk of disease.

Provide proper care throughout the season to help the tree recover from the damage.

Spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of woodchips or bark mulch over the soil surface surrounding the tree.

Pull the mulch several inches away from the trunk to avoid problems. Prevent this type of damage next winter by placing a 4-foot-tall cylinder of hardware cloth around the tree in fall.

Sink the bottom 4 to 6 inches into the ground to keep out voles.

Make sure the fencing won’t rub against the trunk or lower branches when swaying in the wind.