The Midwest is known for having winters with lots of ice and snow. With winter rapidly approaching, it’s time to start preparing your trees for the colder weather to come. Cold stress, winter drought, branch breakage, and rodents can be very harmful to your tress. However, with proper maintenance, your trees can remain beautiful all year long. To keep them that way, you should know what to look for and how to treat it. Here are a list of common problems and treatment options for winter conditions from TreeHelp.com:
- Mature trees can suffer a lot of stress from the temperature changes between daytime heating and night time freezing, leading to stresses within the tree’s outer bark and inner wood. This causes cracks called frost cracking. Unfortunately, there’s not much to be done to prevent frost cracking but in many cases the tree can repair itself. Wrapping the bark of young trees in the fall and using a type of “no wilt plant shield” can help.
- A sudden early frost on late growth is problem as late season tree growth is vulnerable due to the inability to establish growth to prepare for cold. Avoid pruning until the tree has gone dormant in the fall can aid in preventing trees from becoming susceptible to frost damage. It is also wise to avoid fertilizers with high amounts of quick-release Nitrogen.
- Winter drought occurs when a tree loses more water than it can absorb from the frozen ground. Windy conditions can worsen the problem. You can control the problem by laying down a thick layer of mulch, TreeHelp.com suggests organic mulch, around the base of the tree in late fall. Mulch can slow moisture loss and runoff, as well as serve as a temperature buffer for the roots of the tree.
- In the winter, wood can harden and become brittle, causing branch breakage. The weight of ice and snow only add to the problem. A good fall maintenance routine that includes pruning is essential so weak branches can be removed, decreasing the risk of breakage damage.
- Rodents target trees in the winter as food becomes scares. Pests like mice and rabbits like to chew on tree bark. To guard your trees against these pests, try leaving some space between the trunk of the tree and the mulch. If you notice evidence of mice, you may have to set out some bait to deter them from nibbling on your trees.
Winter doesn’t have to be so harsh on your trees. If you haven’t begun preparing them for winter, it’s a great time to take a look at your trees and learn what problems you need to correct. If you aren’t sure what to look for, contact Cartwright Tree Care! We would be happy to talk to you about your tree care needs. Visit our website to learn more!
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