How to Protect Your Trees From Winter Damage

Leaf debris and broken branches can lead to issues this winter and in the spring. Routine fall tree cleanup helps to avoid problems.

Piles of leaves can look colorful, but they hide a dark secret. Fungal, viral, and bacterial pathogens that cause tree disease can lurk in these piles of fallen leaves. Insect pests may also lay dormant in leaf debris. Come spring, the pests and pathogens can move from the leaf piles and into the trees to wreak havoc. Solve the problem by raking up and composting or disposing of the debris.

Damaged or sick wood in your trees in fall are likely to suffer even more once the cold season arrives. Heavy snow and ice or winter winds can send weak or dead branches crashing to the ground. Although fall is not the time for heavy pruning, prune any weak or dead wood from your trees before winter arrives.

Most trees are not harmed by a little snow, but a lot of snow or an ice storm can really weigh them down. Evergreen shrubs are in the most danger, although deciduous shrubs with dense branches can also be affected.

Too much snow on top of an evergreen can cause the whole shrub to split. Evergreen shrubs, in particular, are often pruned into formal geometric shapes. When pruning your shrubs and small trees, request that the foliage has trimming so it has a rounded or pointed top as opposed to a flat top. Ice and snow can settle on flat tops, where the weight will then cause the branches to bend and break.

Even with proper pruning, snow can collect on your shrubs and trees. Whether you have heavy snow on an evergreen or early snow that weighs down a deciduous still in leaf, proper removal can prevent breakage. Use a broom and sweep upward so that the snow is knocked loose but the branches do not bend down. Sweeping downward can stress the branches and cause them to break.

Young trees and some evergreens are particularly susceptible to cold weather problems. Wind and temperature fluctuations are the primary concerns.

Windburn primarily affects evergreens. Cold winds suck moisture from evergreen leaves and needles, leading to desiccation. You have two options to counteract windburn. The first is to wrap the shrub or tree with burlap, leaving the top open to allow air circulation. The other option is a windbreak. You can erect a small windbreak on the side or sides most exposed to winter winds in your area.

The bark on young trees can split open if the trunk has exposure to direct sun while temperatures hover at or are below freezing. The sun heats up the sap so it begins flowing again, but then the sap freezes and splits the bark as soon as the sun moves away from the tree.

Tree wraps help counteract this problem by insulating the trunks of young trees or those with thin bark against the sun and cold. Just make sure to remove the wraps before the tree begins growing again in the spring.

Contact us for more help in preparing your trees ready for the winter season. We look forward to speaking with you.