Winter Tree Care: 3 Tips To Protect Your Trees And Shrubs

Trees may be dormant during the colder months, but winter conditions can still cause them a lot of stress. This is especially true for young trees with thinner bark and trees that have been recently planted that don’t have a wide, spread root system.

It’s important to take care of your trees year-round to keep them healthy. But how exactly does the winter weather impact trees and what can you do to keep them in good shape?

How does winter weather impact trees?

The winter sun and cold temperatures can dry out evergreen foliage, damage tree bark, injure branches, kill flower buds, and damage roots. Ice can also break and injure branches.

A lack of snow during the winter season can also cause damage to trees. This is because snow helps to create insulation from colder temperatures and wind chill, which can damage plant tissue.

How can I protect my trees?

While winter weather can have a major impact on the trees around your home, there you can take preventative measures to help them survive. Here are a few tips you can use to protect your trees so they can thrive:

1. Mulch your trees. Mulch helps to insulate your tree’s roots against cold temperatures. It also helps to slow water loss from the soil. Just be sure not to pile mulch directly against the trunk of your trees. Mulch shouldn’t be more than two inches in depth and ought to be located right beneath your tree’s drip line.
2. Wrap your trees. If your trees are on the younger side and don’t have thick bark, it’s a good idea to wrap your tree trunk to prevent cold air from rupturing the cells in the bark. Cover your trees with crepe paper tree wrap. Work from the bottom to just below the lowest branches until you’ve overlapped layers by one-third.
3. Call in the professionals. When your trees are regularly inspected and pruned by trained professionals, they’ll be healthier and safer to keep on your property. Tree care professionals will inspect your trees for signs of rot, disease, splits, and cracks. Other services, depending on your trees needs, include root management, tree preservation, tree support, and tree pruning.

Looking for a professional tree care service?

Maintaining your shrubs and trees can help to increase your property’s value by 14%. A professional tree care and fertilization service can help make maintaining your trees that much easier.

JL Tree Service offers tree pruning methods, tree fertilization, tree cutting services, and crown cleaning to keep your trees happy and healthy. For more information about our tree pruning and care, contact JL Tree Service today.