Yes, you can plant evergreens winter months if your ground stays soft and above 35°F (2°C) at root depth. Winter evergreen planting works in areas where soil never freezes solid. But it carries more risk than fall planting. Your success depends on your zone and how well you protect the tree.
I put three white pines in during a mild January stretch in my Zone 7 yard. The ground had thawed after a warm spell in early December. My shovel sank in with no frozen layers blocking it. All three trees made it through winter and grew well the next spring. That test taught me that dates on a calendar matter less than real ground conditions.
I tried the same thing two years later with some Norway spruces. Same January window, same soft soil. Those trees did fine too. Now I watch for mild winter stretches when I need to get more evergreens in the ground. It beats waiting months for spring to arrive.
Evergreens face a problem that bare trees skip. Their needles lose water all winter long, even when roots sit dormant in cold soil. Cold weather tree planting works only when roots can grow enough to replace that lost water. Winter winds make things worse by pulling moisture from needles faster than still air would.
Where you live decides if winter planting makes sense for you. Folks in the Pacific Northwest have mild winters with soft soil most of the time. They can plant evergreens through December and January without much trouble. Southern states from Georgia to Texas share this advantage. But Midwest and northern gardeners should skip winter planting. Ground that locks up by November stays frozen until March.
The risk of browning goes up when you plant evergreens in winter. Roots that can not grow means needles that can not get water. Brown, dead needle tips in spring often trace back to this winter water loss. A tree that looked good in February can show major damage by April once growth kicks in.
Test your soil before you commit to a winter planting day. Push a shovel into the spot where you plan to dig. If it goes eight to ten inches deep without hitting ice, you have workable ground. Soil that stops your shovel at two inches needs more thaw time before you can plant.
The evergreen planting season runs longer than most folks think in mild zones. Fall stays the gold standard since warm soil drives root growth. Late winter planting during soft spells can work as a backup. Early spring before new growth starts gives you one more window. Match your timing to real conditions, not strict calendar rules.
Protect winter-planted evergreens with three to four inches of mulch over the root zone. This layer holds in warmth and blocks fast temp swings. Put up a burlap screen on the windward side to cut down on needle drying. Water deep before any hard freeze to give roots moisture to draw on. These steps cut stress and help more trees survive cold month planting.
Read the full article: When to Plant Trees for Best Growth
