Late Winter Tree Care: Our 10 Steps for Healthy Trees This Spring
With certain environmental changes, the traditional winter we are most accustomed to has become unpredictable. It used to work its way to a very chilly constant after the final months of fall, then spring would help plants bounce back as sunlight and melting snow fed the foliage. But these days, winter has ups and downs, with temperatures in even the most predictable areas ranging from -10 to the 60s F.
This can make it very difficult for plants, especially trees, to decide if it is time to blossom or stay in their dormant state. They sprout leaves, only to have them freeze and fall. They take in water and light, and the water freezes, giving the trees a diminished state of hydration. And when a tree is used to a manageable schedule, this throws off the balance in a tremendous way.
What can be done to abate this rollercoaster? Is there a solution that gives the trees a fighting chance?
Late Winter Tree Care Tips - A Healthy Tree Solution
Your trees are important to you, So, they must function in tip-top shape. Here are some steps to ensure your trees return to their pre-winter glory as spring approaches:
1. Don’t Stop Watering
Trees need water year-round. But there is a false narrative that says watering during colder months is foolish and unnecessary. This is not true and has never been true. The way you water must change during late winter, but you should still water your trees. They can become dehydrated quickly, just like humans.
2. Prune Your Trees
It might seem counterintuitive to create a wound during the last remnants of the colder months, but in fact, the tree has no other choice but to repair this breach, giving it away to be active. Spring is when your tree will grow the fastest and healing of a pruned area will happen quickly. This is also a great opportunity to remove winter damage.
3. Inspect Your Trees
How old was your tree when winter hit? Was it cabled? Have you had problems with rodents or bugs that are drawn to wood? These are just a few things to check when inspecting your trees. If rodents or bugs have infected them, curing the problem before spring growth is critical. And if you have cabled trees, check and make sure the cable has not been overtaken by the bark. Also, check roots for winter damage.
4. Clean The Area
New growth needs extensive sunlight and a steady flow of unobstructed water. If there are weeds, dead leaves, or bits of dead branches from winter winds, they can sap the nutrients meant for your tree. And did you know that holiday decorations left on a tree can warp its growth over time? Clearing those off will give your tree a better path to spring strength.
5. Time For Mulch
Mulch is like a blanket for trees. During the winter months, mulch keeps the roots warm. But in spring, it helps to retain water at the base of the trees, keeping it from running off and being wasted. You should lay a bed of mulch that is at least 3 inches deep. And mulch can protect your roots from accidental visits from the lawnmower.
6. Feed The Trees
Food is key as new growth begins. The tree will eat every nutrient you provide, and fertilizer is the best way to slake its need for sustenance. The minerals in fertilizer are chemically perfect for maximum consumption and absorption by plants in general, and this is especially true if you couple it with proper watering.
7. Soil Management
Trees can lose nutrients and water if the soil is not conducive to proper absorption. There are tests to check the quality of your soil and determine if it is time to dig it all up and put down some newer, healthier stock. Bad soil can also lead to root rot, which, once it starts, can spread like cancer and is untreatable.
8. Protection From Storms
Spring may bring new growth, but it also brings some pretty nasty weather. The most likely time for your tree to be blown over by Gail force winds, be ravaged by hail, or even be struck by lightning, is in the mid to late spring months. It might seem silly, but there is a protection system that will help your trees, at the very least, against lightning strikes. Talk to an arborist if you have a concern.
9. Unwrapping the Package
If you are growing new tries or small transplanted trees from a nursery, you may have wrapped them during cold bursts. This is the time to take off the wrap, remove the plastic sheeting, and put those cotton sheets in the wash. They need unobstructed sunlight more than ever in the early spring and if wrapped up, they will not grow properly and become deformed.
10. Check Irrigation and Salting
Do you live near a major street that saw lots of commercial plowing? Do you live downhill of a major irrigation area like a farm? We have heard the term ‘salt the earth” and it pertains to how certain salt when spread on soil makes the growth in the soil impossible. If you have trees that might have been salted by plows trying to melt snow or ice, inspect your soil before increasing your watering habits.
Late Winter Tree Care - A Change in Mindset
In winter, it is common to focus on a very small list of things. Staying warm, keeping food in the house, making sure the kids are bundled up, and driving in a calmer, more centered manner, all take hold in the front of our minds, and we are not wrong for it. These are simple yet necessary aspects of our life that are immediately affected during the colder months.
But those who are out of sight, out of home, like the trees, can be unintentionally neglected. That is until spring hits and they carry no blossom, their branches are dead and weathered, and they are little more than an eyesore and a safety hazard. That is why it is very important to maintain them even when it is inconvenient.
Set a schedule to go out and make inspections throughout the winter, especially in late winter. Check the watering and make sure there isn’t too much turning to ice and adapt your watering accordingly. Add more mulch if winter winds have blown some away. Mulch is dense but not heavy and a hard enough gust can force it to shift.
late winter tree care - Respect the Tree
Trees are tantamount to life. They give us oxygen, they consume carbon dioxide, they make our world beautiful, and they give us shade on a hot day and somewhere to play when we are kids. Swings will be hung from them, tree houses, build in their boughs, and hide and seek games played at their trunks. Lovers will carve initials into hearts. They are iconic to everything we hold dear.
If you have a tree that each spring barely returns to its former fullness and brilliance, before next winter, it is wise to consult an arborist, a nursery owner, or even a botanist, to make a plan for giving your tree its best shot. It might bounce back for years, but eventually, the perils of the winter months will take hold and it will not survive. It is better to prepare now than hope for the best.
You can also contact Mayer Tree Service if you have questions and are in the Essex and Lincoln areas. Winters are brutal in Essex and Lincoln, and they have dealt with these problems for years. They have the knowledge, the experience, and the tools to help. They have a passion for trees that is second to none and they will give you the right information so you can make the best decisions about your trees.
Give them a call if you live in Essex or Lincoln and take in their wealth of insight.
LATE WINTER TREE CARE TIPS
All of the tips we have suggested are simple to accomplish with a little work, a little dedication, and a lot of love. A blossoming tree in your yard can add property value, curb appeal, and even offer scents that waft about your home making the environment within more pleasant and peaceful. The coloring can change a bad mood into a good one, just by looking at the vibrant hues. And for the artist, inspire a myriad of creative endeavors.
Trees are more than just bark and branches and leave you to have to rake each fall. They are alive and ask nothing of us but for a little care, a little consideration, and some well-deserved attention.
If you have questions about tree service or plant health care or would like an estimate, give us a call at 978-768-6999 or click here to contact us.
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