As the weather starts to drastically change, you see people everywhere starting to prepare their home and yard for the onslaught of dipping temps. Part of winter preparation includes getting your trees ready for winter. This is especially important when you have young trees that can be easily damaged by winter storms. TREEGUY.com is here to share some information and tips about your trees and winter so that you can prepare for cold temperatures and avoid damage to your trees.

How Does Cold Winter Weather Damage Trees?

There are several elements that come with winter months that can cause damage to your trees as well as other plants that are found in your landscaping. Following are some of the things you need to be watching for.
– Winter Sun & Wind: Even though it may be sunny outside, the wind and the temperature can still cause damage to your plants. You may find that evergreen foliage can get dried out as well as show signs of bleaching. Another problem caused by the sun and wind in the winter is damage to the bark on your trees.
– Snow & Ice: When there is a lot of snow and ice, it can strong enough to even bring down the largest trees.
– Deicing Salt: While it is important to keep your walkways free from ice, it can wreak havoc on your plants as well as trees when it comes in contact with them.
– Tree Pest Problems: There is far less food in the winter for wildlife. Animals like deer, rabbits, squirrels and other rodents will turn to the bark, flower buds, leaves and twigs on your landscaping plants and trees as their food source.

Protecting Tree Roots in Winter

The branches and trunk of your trees will go into dormancy much sooner than the roots of your tree. It’s a good thing, because the roots aren’t as hardy as the twigs and branches of your tree. When the weather freezes outside, you will find that that temperature of the air is much different than the temperature of the soil. To protect the roots of your trees, you don’t want the soil to get below 0 degrees F. To help protect your tree’s roots here are some tips:
– Water the ground around your trees with a slow saturating water. This is done with a soak hose. When soil is moist it holds more heat that soil that is dry.
– Put several inches of mulch around the base of your tree to act as another layer of insulation.
– Check your new plantings for any cracks that may be in the soil. If there are cracks, fill them.

Tree Trimming, Pruning & More in Gorham, Lewiston, Brunswick, Saco, Cape Elizabeth & Greater Portland, Maine

If you aren’t sure how to get your trees ready for winter, you can rely on the help of our tree service technicians at TREEGUY.com to ensure your trees are ready for the cold weather that is coming our way. We offer pre-storm tree inspections, dangerous limb removal and more. Call us today!