Ever wonder why trees shed their leaves in the winter? It’s their way of conserving needed water during the cold months and is one way that they protect themselves. There are a few ways we can help protect our trees in the winter so they stay healthy come spring!Protecting the tree’s roots
Healthy roots are essential for a healthy tree. A few ways you can protect the tree’s roots include:
Insulate your trees with mulch if you don’t have a lot of snow to protect it. The snow adds protection and insulation to trees, but if you don’t have a lot of snow, mulch will do the trick.
Keep road salt away from your trees. They’re pretty harmful to the roots and can dry them out and alter soil structure.
Protecting the trunks
If you live in an area where the day is warm, but then gets freezing at night, we highly recommend wrapping the trunks with a plastic tree guard to prevent sunscald.
Pay attention to any deer that may come around wanting to use the tree’s trunk as a way to smooth out their antlers. This can result in large chunks of wood being taken off of the trunk. If you notice any deer doing this to your tree, you can build a barrier or use a protective wrap.
Protecting the branches
Winter is the best time to prune trees and remove weak branches so the tree is fresh come spring.
Don’t remove ice from branches. Ice can be difficult to remove, which means you may do more harm than good. The best thing to do is wait for the ice to melt.
Do, however, remove piled snow. Snow that gets piled up on the branches can cause them to snap, which hurts the tree and can also hurt you or another person.
At Big Trees, we know exactly how to take care of your trees in the winter months. If you ever have any questions, please contact us. Call us today at (866) 313-2333 to get all your questions answered.
Nancy Penrose is owner of Big Trees Inc. (https://bigtreesupply.com), (tree nursery Snohomish, WA), one of the largest Seattle tree nurseries, specializing in large trees for sale and transplant tree service. Learn more about tree preservation at https://bigtreesupply.com/tree-care-maintenance/ and for more tips on tree care or installation go to privacytree.net. See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6vVhNW1XJI and connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Trees-Inc/193731105108.
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