Helping Your Trees Survive the Winter

There are a number of things you can do to help your trees survive the winter when they go dormant. Almost everything about winter; the ground freezing, the heat of daytime followed by freezing nights, snow and ice storms can all damage your tree.

Trees are known for their ability to survive through the winter and then spring back to life during the spring. Today we’ll be taking a look at just how trees are able to do this, and we’ll learn something about nature as we go.

Let’s start by looking at dormancy and some of the measures 72 Tree and you can take to help your trees survive the coldest months.

Dormancy in Deciduous Trees

Dormancy is one of the coolest tricks Mother Nature knows. This is when a tree stops producing food during the winter and no longer needs the photosynthesis process or the leaves involved in it. So leaves have to be removed to conserve energy. Deciduous trees produce a chemical called abscisic acid (ABA) in the terminal buds that connect leaves, telling leaves it’s time for them to go.

ABA prevents both deciduous and coniferous trees from growing. This impeded growth is another part of the dormancy process, further reducing how much energy the tree consumes. As the tree enters a conservation state, the metabolism of the tree slows down; using the energy from stored food slowly to maintain vital functions.

Winter Tree Care

Pruning – You should wait until dormancy to prune your tree, when you aren’t likely to damage new growth. Late season growth is particularly at risk from pruning, as it hasn’t had the time to prepare for winter months. Ice crystals may form within new growth and rupture cell walls. If they aren’t pruned properly, they are likely to die off during the spring.

Visit here for more pruning tips and instructions.

Mulching – Winter drought is a problem caused by a tree shrub or plant losing more moisture than can be absorbed. While you aren’t able to control the weather, you have some influence of the effects of it. Putting a thick layer of organic mulch down before winter temperatures set in helps to insulate the roots. The mulch also prevents runoff and moisture loss, benefiting the overall health and hydration of the tree.

Please note that trees don’t freeze entirely, even in a dormant state. Looking at the tree shows you they prepare on the cellular levels. It sounds incredible, but much of the work a tree does to survive winter is happening under the bark inside the tree.

Remove Build-up of Ice and Snow – It’s likely that you might see snow build up on your tree or cling to the branches of it following some bad winter weather. It’s important that you leave the snow be and don’t shake it off. There’s a good chance that the branches have frozen solid and become brittle. Shaking them could damage the tree or even cause these limbs to break off and fall, which is a serious hazard. If you find yourself in this situation then call in a tree professional to evaluate the situation. They will be able to advise the best course of action to take.

Trees Spring Into Life Following Dormancy

Trees will start springing back to life as the days get longer and the temperatures get warmer. If you took care of them properly, then you’re in for another year of beauty and shade provided by a healthy tree. Taking care of them, by the way, means doing absolutely nothing and letting nature take its course. After taking care of the seasonal pruning, you’ll have done enough to protect your tree. Trust the natural survival mechanisms of your tree to handle everything else.

Your trees are often stressed during winter. Knowing ways to lessen the impact is helpful. Learn these preventative tree stress methods to give your trees a greater chance at prolonged health and life. 72tree.com/winter-tree-stress-prevention-and-protection-tips/

This article was first published on: http://www.72tree.com/helping-trees-survive-winter/

Winter Tree Care - Stress Prevention & Insect Protection

Winter can be hard on everyone, even shrubs and trees! But if safety measures are taken, trees can be helped through another season. The shortage of water, fluctuating temperatures, drying winds, and other things make for a stressful winter, especially if plants are not indigenous to the environment they are planted in. Plants are harmed by cold damage through dieback, sun scald, frost heaving and root injury. So we should lend a helping hand to plants by taking some preventive measures. 

PREVENTIVE MEASURES INCLUDE:

Water - Drought like conditions can be created by lack of running water and drying winds in winter. Roots are unable to replace moisture by absorbing water once the ground freezes and if the shrub or tree doesn’t have enough water stored to get it through winter, it may lead to leaves drying out and dropping or even dying. To avoid this, trees and shrubs should be watered till the ground freezes, that way, water to last through winter can be absorbed. 

Drainage - Providing good drainage is an easy way to protect shrubs and trees. Poorly drained, wet soil expands and contracts a lot more in winter and sometimes heaves roots out of the soil, but roots are kept in place by soil that is well drained. 

Mulching - Mulch is very useful for the following; keeping a constant temperature on the ground, helping roots avoid heaving through the soil and helps keep moisture in the soil. Also, biodegradable mulch will eventually break down and enrich the soil. Cover tree bases with about four inches of dry leaves to create mulch, chicken wire and fallen tree branches can be used to keep the mulch in place. A few inches should be left between the trunk and the mulch so as not to tempt burrowing animals to chew on the trunk. 

Wrapping - Trunks of trees can be wrapped to prevent winter damage. Young trees are vulnerable to frost damage, and even older trees can be nibbled by rabbits, deer and other animals. Barks can be protected from cracking by wrapping. 

Planting Location & Shelter - Planting trees in sheltered areas can protect them from wind and snow damage. Temporary shelter can be created if shelter is not readily available. This can be a burlap snow fence which blocks some wind and snow but let’s in sunshine. Snow should be knocked off before it freezes and causes damage to the branches. During winter, when plants are dormant, it is recommended that horticultural or dormant oil is sprayed to control insects. They should be sprayed on everything from lilacs to fruit trees. 

Difference between Dormant Oil and Horticultural Oil - The major difference between the newer horticultural oils and past dormant oils is that they are much more refined and they are useable throughout the year. Most horticultural oils are refined from petroleum oil. 

The refined oil is combined with an emulsifying agent; this allows the oil to mix with water which makes spraying easier. Originally dormant oils were heavier and less well-refined, however, they have been replaced with light weight, better refined oils that can be applied all year round on foliage without damaging it. The time of application is now why it is referred to as dormant oil and not the properties of the oil.

That said, there are other oils that can be used and they are; Mineral oil, summer oil, Supreme oil, Superior oil, Vegetable oil, Cottonseed oil, Soybean oil, and Neem oil.

Uses of horticultural oil:

• They smother and kill insects 
• They disrupt the feeding of insects which is important in stopping the spread of plant viruses by aphids. 
• They can also be used against powdery mildew. 

Horticultural oils are effective, safe and they do not harm useful insects. Spraying should be done before buds swell and can be sprayed even if the buds are slightly swollen. This may damage some of the buds but the advantages overshadow the damage.

Precautions - Oils shouldn’t be used on oil sensitive plants and when temperatures are high (100° F) or very low. Also, if rain is likely to fall or the plant is wet then application should be avoided. Do not apply oils in freezing weather as it can cause the emulsion to produce uneven coverage. Finally, when shoots are growing, oils shouldn’t be sprayed. 

Photo: http://mandydboss.deviantart.com