I live in the mountains of East TN, zone 7a. I planted two of these bushes this summer. How do I winterize them?

Thanks,
Gail

They should be pretty hardy for your zone, Gail, but it never hurts to mulch deeply all around a new plant for the first winter. Just don't use something that will pack or mat down too much to keep moisture from penetrating. Loose mulch like a good wood chip (available in bags at most garden centers) or leaves mixed with wood chips are usually great. The mulch acts as an insulator to keep the soil from freezing and thawing, and also maintains steady moisture levels.

If exceptionally cold weather is forecast, a foot of mulch is not overdoing it. Just be sure to rake most of it a few inches away from the plant's base in the spring. (mulch is good for summer, too, just not piled up around the plant as you do in winter)

Thanks. Do I need to cut back? I have several bags of pine bark mulch.

If the pine bark is in big chunks I'd definitely mix it with some leaves. Otherwise it allows a little too much air circulation and isn't quite as good an insulator as finer mulch.

I always waited on new bushes, and just pruned off any dead wood in the spring after the first little green leaf buds start showing.

I only use fine pine bark mulch. After mulching, I'll leave the bushes as is without cutting back and look for new growth next spring.

Thanks again.