Winter Protection of New Plants in Zone 5 Garden

What, if anything, do I do as far as winter care for the plants that I bought and planted in my zone 5 garden this year in May?  They include Royal Burgundy barberry, Green Velvet boxwood, and Russian sage.

Proper care throughout the season helps our new plantings survive their first winter. Water all your plants, especially new plantings and evergreens, thoroughly before the ground freezes. This is all the special care you need to give the barberry.

Green Velvet boxwood is one of the hardier boxwood and usually requires no special care in your region. You may decide to wrap it in burlap if it is exposed to winter sun from the south or winds from the northwest.

Leave your Russian sage stand for the winter. The silvery foliage and airy seed heads make a great addition to the winter garden. Cut the plants back to 4 to 6 inches above the ground in late March or early April. Those with established plants that tend to flop may want to prune those back one more time in mid June. Cut the tops back by one half to reduce flopping. Those considering adding Russian sage to their gardens may want try Little Spires, a shorter (four foot tall) cultivar that is less prone to flopping.

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