Mike, does yours stay evergreen there in the winter? I grew a couple of evergreens in Utah, but bought them locally, from someone in my same zone that had grown them a few years. By the time I got them, they were more semi-evergreen, and almost dormant. I think plants have a way of adapting that I had never thought of before that.
I have never grown Thin Man before, so I can't help with this particular plant, but I hope it does well for you, Corey. I would mulch, without a doubt though. Use some bark if you have it. Smaller bark, to me, is better than large chunks. Even straw is a good thing to use, or leaves will work good too. Just make sure and remove whatever it is from the crown area in the Spring, so that the plant doesn't rot. Some people have a problem with rot, and some don't. I guess it depends on how wet or dry your winters are. I lived in Great Lakes for 4 years, and while we did get a ton of snow one year, it was mostly just too cold to believe. That is why I'd mulch - because of that dreadful cold!
