3 Tips to Prepare Newly Planted Trees for Winter

Late spring and early summer can be a great time to plant some beautiful trees to add some decorative greenery and shade to your lawn.  Homeowners usually take this time to transplant young trees into their lawns hoping that they grow and blossom into something stunning and practical.  Naturally you’ll want to do everything you can to help it survive the harsh winters and continue to grow into the beautiful trees they were meant to once spring turns.  Here are some recommended steps to keep your trees from getting frost during those winter months.

Pruning

Take advantage of the fall months as this is the best time to prune a tree from all its unnecessary limbs and growths.  Look over your young tree and remove wilted, dying tree branches, leaves or other growths using tree pruning sheers.  Not only does doing this in the fall improve recovery time but it also encourages symmetry and stability in the tree. 

Watering

Obviously trees need water to survive, just like any other living object, but providing ample water during the fall months can help strengthen your tree for the harsh winter months to come.  Water is also known to act as an insulator for plant cells that are engorged with it.  If your trees and plants get enough then there is a good chance they can fight off cold damage.  In addition, soil that stays hydrated tends to keep at higher temperatures than dry soil.

Wrapping the Trunk

Trees take a heavy beating in the winter months, especially from the excessive winds, frost and ice.  Tree removers in Elgin IL say that the harshest part of their winter is that once temperatures fall below freezing its uncommon for them to climb above those temperatures all winter.  That coupled with the high winds almost requires that you wrap your young trees. 

Tree wrap can be purchased from your local nursery or big box store, make sure to purchase enough for all your thin bark trees as they are most susceptible.  Use the paper wrap to completely cover the truck of your tree up to the first tree limbs.  It is best to multi-layer the wrap to ensure you are adequately covering your tree.  You cannot just leave it at that, make sure to secure the wrap with a strong tape, adhesive or twine so it does not come loose. 

You can also apply burlap or bough to the areas of the tree that are most exposed to the harsh elements.  This is a breathable material so it won’t harm your trees.  It’s also a good idea to place a layer of mulch around your tree.  Go at least 2 feet out from the tree truck and make sure that you keep the mulch at least 2 inches from the trunk itself.  This will help keep the ground moist and temperatures much higher than without mulch.

Last, there are some animals that chew on bark in the winter so you can purchase and install a plastic tree guard to keep the tree bark safe from pests.  Make sure you check the guard often as some animals are persistent and can eventually chew through it to reach the tree trunk.  Trees are uniquely designed to tolerate the harsh winter months, but not all trees were created equal.  Some require a bit more attention and care than others, but by implementing these three tips, your trees will have a much higher chance of strong growth come early spring.

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