With winter firmly upon us, you might be wondering how to protect your trees and keep them looking their best. Freezing temperatures and strong winds can cause them significant stress, affecting their health and appearance. Whilst the cold weather can slow down the growth of new leaves and flowers, winter is still a great time to prune your trees in preparation for spring.
3 top tree maintenance tips for winter
Get a tree inspection
Cold temperatures can weaken trees’ immune systems, making them a lot more prone to disease. Plus, snow, ice and wind can all cause serious damage to their branches and bark. Since winter is such a tough season for trees, it’s a good idea to get them inspected by a tree surgeon in advance. Experienced tree surgeons in Chelmsford will be able to identify any problems with your trees and suggest solutions for them. They will inspect the overall health of the trees, including checking for any damage to the branches and bark and for the presence or pests of diseases.
Prune your trees
Winter is a good time to prune trees since this is when they become dormant. The lack of leaves on deciduous trees allows you to see what you’re doing more clearly. What’s more, because sap isn’t as active during the winter, the cuts are less likely to ‘bleed’. The tree would sustain less shock than if it were chopped with the sap in full flow.
Pruning allows you to remove any dead or damaged branches, lowering the risk of them breaking off and causing damage or injury during a storm. Pruning also reduces the size of a tree by removing branches that might be encroaching on nearby structures. A tree surgeon will usually look to remove any parts of the tree that have become unstable or are at risk of snapping after accumulating heavy snow or ice. Don’t risk carrying out tree pruning tasks yourself if you lack the required expertise.
Mulch your trees
Adding mulch can help to protect your trees from extreme temperatures. Mulch can help to keep the soil around the tree warmer, preventing the roots from freezing. Mulch also helps to retain moisture in the soil. This is important since all trees need water in the winter, even when it is cold outside.
It’s usually best to buy organic mulch made up of wood chips, compost or bark, rather than those with gravel or stones. Cover the root zone of the trees with a thick layer of mulch, making sure there are no exposed roots. This will help to give your trees the protection they need when the weather’s at its coldest.
For professional tree care during winter, get in touch with the team at Essex Tree Brothers. Call us on (01245) 955 117 or (01621) 484306 to hire our experienced tree surgeons in Chelmsford. You can also send us a message via the website if you prefer and we’ll get back to you right away.
