Holly
The Christmas season highlights holly. Although hollies do not grow too successfully in the Midwest, more and more plants are appearing in the gardens of skillful gardeners.
Ilex opaca, American holly, is about the only species worth much in the area represented by a line drawn from Springfield, Illinois, to Columbus, Ohio. Spraying the foliage of holly and other broad-leaved evergreens with Wilt-Pruf in winter helps keep plant losses to a minimum by reducing the water lost through leaves.
Snow Protection
Before heavy snows weigh down evergreens, tie up the tall upright forms that have soft growth. Tie a strong cord to a lower branch and wind it in a spiral to the top. This holds the branches close to the trunk and helps prevent snow accumulation as well as evaporation from foliage.
Plan to untie as soon as heavy snow season is past.
All evergreens, whether needled or broad-leaved, must be watered during winter thaws. They give off moisture even when the soil is frozen. Specimens in exposed positions ought to be protected with burlap.
Pruning
Pruning of fruit trees, grapes, and ornamental shrubs can start now. Do not. However, prune shrubs that bear on wood formed after early spring bloom, such as forsythia, or you’ll cut off next season’s flowers.
Tree Peonies
If your tree peonies have failed to bloom for years, blasting of the flower buds by winter winds may be responsible.
To protect them, form a cage of chicken wire, 6″ inches larger in all dimensions than the plant, and fill this with dried leaves or some other light mulch. This works beautifully, too, with greenhouse hydrangeas planted outdoors, as these are not flower-bud-hardy in the Midwest.