4 Tips To Care For Your Trees During Winter
In the winter months, it might seem normal to see the greenery on your trees die back. However, you probably want to do what you can to keep your trees healthy so that they will look their best this winter and spring back into action when the weather warms up. Luckily, following these tips can help you take good care of your trees, no matter how cold the temperatures might get.
1. Continue Your Watering Schedule
Many people stop watering their plants during the winter months, but failing to water your trees can cause them to become stressed out and can put them at a greater risk of dying while it's cold out. Ensure that your trees are getting ample water by using a sprinkler system or hand-watering them.
2. Strengthen Smaller Trees
When snow and ice accumulate on the branches and leaves of your trees, they can provide a lot of extra weight. This isn't usually a big deal for large, strong and well-established trees, but it can cause thinner, smaller trees to crack. Consider stabilizing and strengthening your trees by putting posts alongside your trees and stabilizing them with rope.
3. Wrap Them Up
Trees can be prone to frost cracking, which comes from higher daytime temperatures and cold nighttime temperatures. The temperature change can cause tree trunks to crack, which can lead to long-term damage to your trees. Luckily, there is one good option -- wrap up your tree trunks to help protect them from the cold. You can purchase tree wrap from any home improvement or gardening store, or you can use burlap cloth. This step is particularly important for more fragile trees and trees that are accustomed to warmer climates.
4. Prune After Your Trees Have Gone Dormant
Wait until the fall season, when your trees have gone dormant, and have them pruned. If you have them pruned too early in the season, you could encourage new growth on your trees, which can contribute to frost damage. A tree service such as Sylvester's Tree Service can come out and prune your trees and help give you other tips for protecting them all winter long.
You might worry about keeping your trees healthy during the winter months, but you should know that the colder temperatures aren't necessarily a death sentence for your beloved trees. If you follow these four tips, preparing your trees for winter can be easier and more effective than you think.