Despite their dormancy, there’s still much to do for your trees. Our winter tree care checklist covers everything you need to know to protect your landscape during the colder months, ensuring healthy and vibrant growth when warmer weather returns next spring.
Key Takeaways
- Schedule structural pruning in winter to strengthen your trees, improve their resilience to storms, and minimize the risk of disease spread.
- Watch for frost cracks during temperature swings, as they can lead to damage and provide entry points for insects and diseases.
- Remove hazardous or dead trees in winter when the frozen ground allows easier access, reducing the risk of damage.
- Supplemental watering is necessary during dry winter months to prevent dehydration, especially for young trees and evergreens susceptible to winter desiccation.
- Wrap broadleaf evergreens and conifers to protect them from harsh winds, temperature shifts, and road salts, and consider wrapping early in the season to maximize effectiveness.
5 Items for Your Winter Tree Care Checklist for Southeast Pennsylvania
Although your trees are dormant, they’re still very much alive and need special attention during the winter months. While the cold may make it tempting to stay inside, your trees rely on you to ensure they emerge healthy and strong in the spring. Here are some key tasks to add to your winter tree care checklist:
1. Schedule Structural Pruning for Your Trees
Winter is the perfect time for an ISA Certified Arborist to examine your trees. They can make suggestions on tree care and identify any underlying issues. With no leaves on the tree, an arborist can better see its structure and make pruning cuts to resolve these structural issues.
Structural pruning creates stronger trees. These architecturally sound trees will hold up better in storms and you will likely experience fewer problems down the road as they mature. Some other benefits of winter pruning include:
- Less stress on the trees
- Lower risk of spreading diseases
- Faster cleanup with no leaves
- Easier access for heavy equipment
- Better-looking trees in the spring
PRO TIP: Want to learn more about pruning in Bucks and Montgomery counties? Check out our previous articles on pruning:
2. Look Out for Frost Cracks
Temperature whiplashes are not only annoying for us, but they also impact your trees. When a warm day turns into a freezing night, and then thaws again the following day, your tree may develop frost cracks due to the wood swelling and shrinking.
The good news is trees can naturally recover from frost cracks. However, the recovery process takes time and can put your trees at risk. Insects and diseases can enter into the crack in the spring and harm the tree.
You’ll want to let the wound heal naturally but have an arborist examine it. An arborist can suggest ways to protect the tree from insects and diseases if it is an at-risk species.
3. Remove Unwanted or Hazardous Trees
Winter is the best time to remove your trees. Thanks to the frozen ground, tree care companies can more easily access your yard with heavy equipment. There is also less risk of potential yard damage with frozen ground. Even in the winter, hazardous trees can harm your property and family, especially dead or heavily diseased trees that can be very brittle. Winds and storms can blow off dead branches or uproot entire trees. Proactively removing these dangerous trees can avoid headaches related to emergency repairs later on.
4. Provide Supplemental Water as Needed
Winter likely conjures images of snow and thoughts of freezing cold. This isn’t always the case; dry winters are typical in Southeast Pennsylvania, and when this happens, supplemental water may be necessary for your trees.
A tree’s roots and vascular system remain active year-round, even in winter. The roots continue to absorb water, maintaining moisture levels throughout the tree. When they can’t take in enough water, dehydration and stress begin to set in—especially in young trees with less developed root systems.
Evergreen trees are most susceptible to winter desiccation (when the amount of water lost by foliage is more than what the roots take up). Symptoms may include:
- Twigs and needles drying out
- Browning needles in the spring
- One side of the tree displaying discolored needles
How to Properly Water Your Trees During Winter
In warmer months, use a soaker hose to water deeply around your trees, focusing on the area beneath the canopy (the drip line). This ensures the roots receive adequate moisture. While young trees especially benefit from this, even mature trees may need supplemental watering.
Avoid watering the trunk or base of your tree, as this water is ineffective and can lead to rot or decay. You should always aim to hydrate the root zone for optimal health.
[Blockquote] PRO TIP: Anti-desiccants create a protective barrier on the surface of leaves and needles to help retain moisture within the tree, reducing the risk of stress, leaf drop, and potential damage caused by dehydration. To see if anti-desiccants can help your trees this winter, give Clauser Tree Care a call at 215-542-8291.
Salt used to limit ice on the road can harm nearby trees and shrubs.
5. Consider Wrapping Your Coniferous Trees and Shrubs
Broadleaf evergreens (like boxwoods, barberries, and hollies) can experience significant winter stress. A combination of cold, wind, and dry weather can lead to dieback, especially for trees located near roads where de-icing products and road salts pose an added risk. Salt splashed onto your trees by passing vehicles can damage or even kill them.
Wrapping your trees with burlap or a specialized tree blanket can provide much-needed insulation, protecting them from harsh temperature fluctuations. It’s best to wrap them early in the season, before the cold truly sets in. As an added bonus, this protective barrier can also help deter deer from nibbling on your shrubs during the winter months.
Clauser Tree Can Help You Prepare Your Trees for Winter
At Clauser Tree Care, we specialize in ensuring your trees stay healthy and protected throughout the winter months. Serving Southeastern Pennsylvania, our expert team is ready to assist with all your winter tree care needs. Call us today at 215-542-8291 or request a quote online.
About Clauser Tree Care
From who you talk to on the phone in our office, to our courteous and experienced work crews who provide your service, all of the hard-working team members at Clauser Tree Care strive for complete client satisfaction. Our job is simply not done until you are pleased with the experience that you have had working with our company. Founded more than 25 years ago on the principles of honest work and arboricultural best practices, we strive for a higher standard of care for a greener future.
