Did you know that winter months can be harsh for trees? Extreme drops in temperature can cause a lot of damage to trees. The damage could be from a damaged bark to a branch falling off. In addition to this, lack of food during the winter causes animals to feed from barks and twigs causing damage.
How Can You Prevent Damage to Your Trees in the Winter
Here at Hertfordshire Trees, we have put together a list of the things you can do to prevent damage to your trees in the winter.
Animal Damage
Many animals such as rodents and mice feed off tender parts of trees in the winter. This damage can be reduced if you simply wrap a mesh hardware cloth around the trunk of the tree. You can also spray a repellant on your tree to repel any animals going near it. If there is heavy rain, you may have to reapply the repellant.
Soil Temperature
In the colder months, frost builds up causing soil to freeze. When soil freezes, it expands and contracts, damaging the roots. To prevent the roots from getting damaged, adding a layer of mulch around your tree will keep the temperature of the soil constant.
Sun Scald
If you have ever noticed a dried or sunken area of bark on your tree, it could be a sign of sun scald, especially on a tree that you have just planted. You can prevent your newly planted tree from getting sun scalded by wrapping it up. You could use a tree wrap or any other material which reflects the sun. This will protect your tree from getting sun-scald.
Salt Damage
Usually, when it snows, the first thing we do is use salt to clear the ice or the driveway. If you have any trees near your driveway or the road, salt can damage your tree as it gets sprayed from passing vehicles. This can cause browning of leaves. To prevent your tree from salt damage, place a burlap screen between the tree and where the salt has been placed so that it doesn’t get sprayed on your tree when you are pulling into your driveway.
Wind Damage
Strong winds that are frequently brought by winter storms have the potential to seriously harm trees. The power of the wind, particularly in soggy soil, can uproot a tree entirely or break off branches. Think about putting in windbreaks to shield your trees from wind damage.
These could take the shape of wind-impact-reducing structures or permeable barriers positioned carefully. Additionally, you can strengthen the overall structural integrity of your trees and increase their resistance to winter storms by pruning them to remove weak or dead branches.
Snow Build Up
Tree branches that have a lot of snow on them may bend or break from the weight. Use a soft broom or your hands to gently remove the snow from the branches to avoid this. Take care not to shake the branches too much since this might cause more harm.
Consider employing braces or ties to support larger branches in your area if there is a lot of snowfall regularly. This will help to distribute the weight and lower the chance of breakage. After snowfall, check your trees frequently to take care of any accumulation as soon as possible.
If you’re concerned about your trees after snowfall, speak with one of our tree surgeons in Hertfordshire, St Albans, or Harpenden by viewing our contact details down below.
Contact Our Tree Surgeons
We offer a variety of tree surgery services across Hertfordshire, including Harpenden, St Albans and the surrounding areas. If you would like to speak to us about helping you prevent damage to your trees in the winter, call us on 07775 743861. You can also send us a message using our contact form or email us at gotobedtrees@hotmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
