Taking care of your trees during winter is a real concern. Extreme cold can create challenging conditions for your trees’ survival. If proper care isn’t given during winter, trees can experience various injuries including frost crack damage to the bark, branch breakage due to ice accumulation and weakened overall health making them more susceptible to diseases and pests.
At the same time, you need to protect yourself from these ice-clad trees, as they can be deceptively dangerous.
If you own a tree, continue reading to learn the Do’s and Don’ts to protect your tree (and yourself!) during the cold season.
Things to Avoid Doing to the Trees During Winters
Sometimes even with good intentions, we might end up doing more ‘harm’ than good. Some of the things to avoid doing when it comes to tree care during winter are:
1. Don’t Shake or Hit Ice-Covered Branches
It is obvious to feel pity for the tree when you see it laden with snow and it’s tempting to help by uncovering it. However, if this removal isn’t done carefully, it may lead to severe damage.
Ice makes branches brittle and prone to snapping when subjected to sudden impact. Shaking the branches of the trees risks breaking the brittle ones. Moreover, it also increases the chances of accumulated ice tumbling down at once from the higher branches.
Imagine, a huge weight falling at once from a height upon something brittle. Recipe for a disaster right? Such an incident might also injure you if you do not escape on time.
2. Don’t Spray Water to Melt the Ice
It might seem a brilliant idea to spray water on the trees as an alternative way to melt the ice. But it is not.
When the temperature drops below the freezing point, sprayed water freezes. This makes the problem worse. Not only did the sprayed water fail to remove the ice, but it also added to the existing burden of our beloved trees. The frozen icicles add significant weight to the branches.
The best way is to let nature do the needful. Sunny days would melt the snow gradually without causing any significant injury.
3. Avoid Using De-icing Salt Near the Trees
During winter, it is a common practice to spread road salt to clear the roads off the snow. However, care needs to be taken that it is not spread near the tree.
This is because salt tends to absorb water. If salts in the soil absorb water, less water becomes available for uptake by trees. This causes root dehydration, stunted growth and in some cases, even death of the trees.
A good eco-friendly alternative is spreading sand around the trees. Sand provides traction without compromising the soil’s health.
4. Don’t Prune the Trees During Winters
During winters, since the branches of the trees are brittle, pruning might lead to jagged cuts. Moreover, deciduous trees lose their leaves during winter. Without leaves, it can be harder to assess which branches need to be removed.
The best time to prune most trees is during their dormant season which usually occurs in late winter or early spring. During such a time, the tree is not actively growing and the sap flow is minimal.
5. Don’t Stand Under the Ice-covered Trees
During winters, accumulated snow adds significant weight (roughly 20 pounds of weight per branch) to the trees. Worse, ice build-up often makes it difficult to spot the branches that are on the verge of breaking.
Therefore, it is important to keep a safe distance from snow-covered trees and protect yourself from any injury from the weight of snow or falling branches.
While avoiding the above things can help your tree from unnecessary damage, below are a few good practices that you can follow to keep your trees healthy.
Tips for Winter Care for Your Trees
Things done proactively before and during the winters help mitigate the risks of severe damage.
1. Mulch Around the Base of the Tree
Mulching is the process of spreading a layer of organic or inorganic material around the base of the tree. Adding a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch around the trees helps to prevent the weeds from growing, insulate the roots and retain soil moisture. Take care to mulch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent tree rot.
2. Moisturize the Soil Well Before Winter by Extensively Watering It
Moist soils not only keep your trees well-hydrated, but they also retain more warmth than dry ones. Ensure deep watering in late fall, before the first hard frost to ensure the roots are moist well.
3. Wrap Vulnerable Trees With Proper Tree Wraps
Use burlap to shield sensitive trees. It insulates the trees while still allowing them to breathe. It is like a winter coat for your trees, protecting them from harsh winter weather.
4. Prune Before the Frost Arrives
Corrective pruning can be done before the frost when the branches are not brittle. Proper pruning helps the trees get rid of weak or dead parts so that the tree can direct its resources to the healthier ones.
5. Inspect Regularly
Lastly, do not ignore the signs of any winter damage or breakage of your trees. Look for any hanging branches, visible cracks or weakened parts that need attention. Use methods like cabling or pruning to prevent such branches from breaking completely.
Need Help in Protecting Your Trees in Cold Winter Months? Contact Stumps “R” Us Tree Service
If you are anticipating heavy snowing and are looking for help to protect your evergreen, deciduous or fruit trees during cold weather, Stumps “R” Us is there to help.
With a wide range of equipment and a team of professional arborists, we can protect your trees in the winter. Our team takes extra care to explain the owner’s tree care methods they use in detail to keep the owners informed and landscapes healthy.
Contact us today to help your trees fight temperature extremes.