Winter can be tough, not only for people and their properties, but even for trees. That’s why it’s important you know what steps to take to protect your trees during this time of the year.
How do you take care of trees in the winter? It wouldn’t be surprising to hear that people usually don’t. It’s all part of nature, anyway, so trees should be able to adapt and protect themselves on their own, right?
Not necessarily. If you want your trees to remain healthy throughout the season and help them recover faster in the spring, you should follow these helpful steps.
Cover Trees to Protect from Freeze
Wrapping tree trunks with a burlap or any other protective cover helps prevent them from being damaged by the winter cold and sun. Trees with thinner trunks may especially be vulnerable to cracks and splits.
Young trees also need cover protection because they have yet to develop thick bark that will add layers of protection to them.
Retain Moisture with Mulch
Applying mulch on the soil around the tree helps keep it warm and moisturized. Make sure to add as much as 3 to 5 inches of mulch, making your way from the base of the trunk to a couple of feet or more toward the outer premises of the tree.
You don’t even need to spend much to make mulch. Use wood chips and/or dried leaves that you collected during the fall for this purpose. Make sure the mulch is evenly distributed flat on the ground and not in a mound against the bark of the tree.
Improve Tree Structure by Trimming and Pruning
It’s never too early to improve your tree’s structure. Winter is actually a great time to prune and trim young trees, specifically for this purpose. Older trees, meanwhile, can also benefit from this because it minimizes the potential of them getting tree limb damage.
Also, it’s just safer for everyone. If you don’t have tools and skills to do this, it’s highly recommended that you seek help from professionals like Rocky Mountain Tree Service.
Water When There’s No Rain and Before Ground Freezes
Last but not least, continue watering your plants and trees. Just because it is winter doesn’t mean the trees don’t need nourishment. Timing is especially crucial for those places where there is ice and snow.
You’d want to make sure your trees get the water they need before the ground freezes. Sure, it will melt anyway later on, but before that happens, your tree should have moisture locked in to stay healthy.
These are some of the simplest answers to the question, “How do I prepare my trees for winter?”
If you have any other questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to consult a professional about it. Keep your trees happy and healthy this winter!