Winter Tree Care Tips

Clean Up

Remove debris and weed at least within a 3-feet radius of the tree. Afterward, add between three to four inches of compost and mulch, but ensure it doesn’t touch the trunk at the base. If the surrounding soil is compact, ensure it is properly aerated by digging holes around the tree. The holes allow oxygen and nutrients to enter the ground for easy absorption by the roots. A professional tree service can handle the heavy lifting by digging holes efficiently without risking the well-being of your trees.

Water Deeply

Irrigation is vital maintenance if you want to grow healthy trees all year. Winter can pose watering difficulties, and the only way to ensure your trees get sufficient moisture is to water them deeply. This is important if you planted the tree within the last three years, but older trees don’t require as much. Regularly inspect the soil to see if it is powdery and dry after watering to determine the effectiveness of your irrigation technique. Drip irrigation is more effective during winter, but consult a tree service provider for professional advice.

Prune Damaged Leaves

As mentioned, trees are dormant during the cold season, allowing homeowners to perform invasive maintenance practices like pruning. Early winter may not be ideal for cutting overgrown branches, but diseased, damaged, or dead limbs can be trimmed all year round. Since deciduous trees lose all their leaves in winter, you can access these branches easily. Severely damaged branches can fall during strong winds, wreaking unimaginable havoc on your premises. Don’t attempt DIY pruning projects without proper equipment or a tree care company at hand.

Prevent Sunscald

Even if the temperatures are freezing, the sun is out and mild on some days. Tees are coaxed to come out of dormancy, only for the temperatures to drop and destroy the newly active tissues. Old trees have experienced several winters and will probably survive this, but young trees need more TLC. The most effective way to prevent sunscald is to wrap the trunk in a light-colored material from top to bottom. Remove the wrapping after winter and schedule an inspection with a tree service.