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Winter Care for Unplanted Trees, Shrubs and Perennials

Fall plant sales and all those tempting new varieties have many of us buying more plants than we have time or space to plant.  Protect them over the winter and reduce your workload by heeling them in until you have time to find a permanent spot in your garden.

Look for vacant spaces and sheltered areas in your landscape. An annual flower or vegetable garden, newly established planting bed or one earmarked for renovation work great.

Dig a trench deep enough to cover the whole pot.  Set the plants pot to pot inside the trench. Cover with soil and water thoroughly to remove air pockets and moisten the roots. Water as needed throughout the winter.

Add an extra layer of insulation with mulch. Cover the soil surface with several inches of woodchips or shredded bark. This helps conserve moisture and protects the plants from our often fluctuating winter temperatures.

A bit more information: No vacant space in the garden? Group plants together in a sheltered location. Cover the pots with woodchips or other material to insulate the roots and conserve moisture. Those in colder climates can move plants into an unheated garage for winter. Be sure to water thoroughly whenever the soil is dry.

Upcoming
Events & Webinars

April 23, 2026
Iowa State University
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April 25, 2026
Pasquesi Home & Gardens
Lake Bluff, IL

April 26, 2026
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI

May 2, 2026
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI

May 6, 2026
FREE WEBINAR: 
Adding Native Plants
to Any Size Gardening Space

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May 7, 2026
Wauwatosa Public Library
Wauwatosa, WI
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May 9, 2026
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI

May 10, 2026
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI

May 13, 2026
Roots & Branches
West Bend, WI
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May 16, 2026
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI

May 17, 2026
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI

May 20, 2026
Herb Container Workshop
Pewaukee, WI
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May 21, 2026
FREE WEBINAR: 
Planting & Care of Your Rain Garden
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June 3, 2026
FREE WEBINAR: 
Managing Your Landscape
with Pollinators in Mind

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June 10, 2026
Enjoy Life Active Aging Symposium
Brookfield, WI
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July 9, 2026
Ebert's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Ixonia, WI

August 6-16, 2026
Wisconsin State Fair
We Energies Energy Park, West Allis, WI

Sept. 3, 2026
FREE WEBINAR: 
Tree Planting and Care
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Sept. 12, 2026
Knowledge in Bloom Conference
Milwaukee, WI
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Sept. 17, 2026
FREE WEBINAR:
Fall Landscape Care and Planting

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