The purpose of a winter mulch is not to protect the plant from freezing but rather to protect the plant from rapidly changing temperatures, especially in the late winter and early spring. A few warm days in late winter may cause an unmulched plant to break dormancy prematurely. Or the freeze-thaw cycles (frost heaving) may cause frost heaving, which damages the crown of the plant. Usually we can count on snow cover to protect the plant from these problems, but not always.
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I am curious as to why are we told not to mulch herbaceous (non-woody) perennials until soil begins to freeze. Why the wait?
Last Updated: November 09, 2011
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