One of the most important things you can do to “winterize” your plants is to make sure that everything is well watered going into the winter. If the weather is dry and the ground not thoroughly frozen, water well into the early winter. For broadleaf and other evergreens, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, pieris, you can try an anti-transpirant spray like “Wilt Pruf” to help them weather desiccating winds. Anti-transpirant sprays are expensive, but especially helpful on new evergreen shrubs and trees that are getting established. If you choose an anti-transpirant spray, be sure to follow the label instructions for use because there are certain conditions during which it should not be applied. Mulch may also be applied in the late fall or early winter after a planting has reached dormancy. The best mulches for this purpose are fallen leaves and leafy twigs that are loose and will not become compacted over the plant material.