How to Take Care of your Tree during Winter
Most trees are often dormant during winter. However, this does not mean that the trees are safe from the adverse effects of winter conditions. Trees often experience a raw intensity of the cold season. Especially for young trees or newly-planted trees, wintry conditions can be devastating. Young trees lack mature defense mechanisms and this makes them prone to damage during winter. Mature trees have thick barks and a wide- spreading rooting system. However, young and newly-planted trees do not have these protective features. You can take care of your trees during winter in several ways.
Mulching
Mulch helps to retain moisture and warmth offering protection to a tree during winter. You may add a thin layer of organic mulch beneath your trees' drip line. Mulch helps to insulate the soil and tree roots against temperature extremes. Mulch also helps to slow water loss from the soil. You should ensure that the mulch is no more than 2 inches thick. You should use organic matter like wood chips. Trees do better with wood chip mulch compared to the mulch provided by their leaves.
You may seek a reliable tree service in Toronto to help you understand the proper technique of mulch application. A mulch should have a donut distribution as opposed to a volcano shape. Ensure that the mulch lies a few inches away from the tree's base. Placing it mulch too close to the tree may lead to excess moisture and this may, in turn, lead to decay.
Get A Free Quote
Watering
Throughout fall and during the winter season, you should ensure that you water the trees. Continue to water the trees if there is no rain during the winter months. Young trees require more water than mature trees. When watering the trees, ensure that you apply water slowly to give it ample time to soak into the ground.
Wrapping
You can protect the trunks of your trees by wrapping them with crepe paper tree wraps or other wraps. This will help to protect the trees against sunscald. This is a condition that occurs when winter sun thaws the tree trunks by day and cold night air freezes the trunk at night. You should wrap the tree trunk and stop wrapping just below the lowest branched. You should let the wrapping stay on and remove it in spring.
Spraying
Spraying can help you to protect broadleaf evergreens like Mountain Laurel among others. Winter sun and winter winds may create drying conditions for evergreen trees. You can protect the trees from harsh winter conditions by spraying them with an anti- desiccant. The anti-desiccant covers the leaves with a waxy coating. This helps to reduce moisture loss.
Clearing the Snow
During winter, snow may accumulate on tree branches. If you do not clear the snow from the branches, its weight may break the tree branches. You should use upwards movements to gently push snow off the branches. You should avoid breaking ice off the branches of the trees. Instead, it is advisable to use hot water. Connect a garden hose to a hot water faucet and splash the branches with it. It is advisable to be careful while doing this to avoid burning the tree.
With proper care, your trees do not have to suffer damage during winter.
Additional Articles
Contact Us
Fill out the following form and we will be in touch with you shortly!
Address
Head Office
Blind River, Ontario P0R 1B0