Winter has almost arrived, bringing with it shorter days, cooler temperatures, and possibly some snow! While winter isn’t the greatest month for gardening and maintaining your outdoor space, there is plenty of important work needed during this period…including tree trimming and the removal of dead trees!
Your trees and shrubs require some extra care during winter, otherwise they may not be best prepared to handle the stresses that the season brings.
Let’s look at how you can prepare your trees and shrubs for winter months this year!
Watering Trees and Shrubs Ahead of Winter
One of the main stresses that winter brings trees and shrubs is a lack of water.
So, it’s important to give your trees and shrubs plenty of water so that their roots aren’t too dry before winter sets in!
Make sure that you continue to water your trees and shrubs throughout fall, especially if there isn’t much rain where you live. You want to ensure that roots have enough water before the ground freezes during winter months.
By watering frequently, the tree and soil remain moist and insulated, helping to minimize the damage that cold conditions bring.
Don’t Forget to Mulch
Mulch is an essential part of winter care for your trees and shrubs. Acting as a blanket for soil, mulch helps to maintain suitable soil temperature and moisture levels throughout the winter.
Also, because the ground continually freezes and thaws over winter, it causes soil to constantly expand and retract. This process is damaging to roots and may even push younger trees or shrubs to from the ground!
So, by adding an organic mulch around the base of your trees and shrubs, you provide a consistent soil temperature while keeping roots warm and maintaining more moisture.
Prune Dead and Diseased Branches
It’s a good idea to prune away dead and diseased branches from trees before winter arrives. Extreme conditions like snowfall and high winds are more common in winter and that may cause branches to snap and fall, possibly damaging your property or injuring someone!
Consider a Deep Root Fertilization
A one-off deep root fertilization treatment during November or December is a great way to revitalize your trees and shrubs root systems over the winter.
Featuring a blend of nutrients, a deep root fertilization helps maintain robust root systems over the winter months, resulting in more vigorous growth come spring.
Keep on Top of Winter Maintenance
Even the best prepared trees and shrubs need some extra once winter arrives. There are certain winter elements that are damaging for trees and shrubs, such as a build up of heavy snow on branches. This doesn’t happen all of the time in Central Texas, but one thing we’ve learned from the 2021 Snowpocalypse is that it’s best to be prepared.
If snow accumulates on your plants, make sure to get it off as quickly as possible to minimize damage to the tree. In extreme cases where branches are frozen, try using a hose with some warm water from the faucet to gently melt the ice.
Also, be mindful of using de-icing products around your trees and shrubs! For instance, if your car is parked near a tree, your de-icer spray might runoff and get absorbed by tree roots which can damage the roots.
Try to avoid products with sodium chloride, as the ingredient can damage roots, preventing them from absorbing moisture and nutrients.
Most importantly, when preparing your yard for winter: safety first. If there are branches in your yard that look like a hazard, chances are they are a hazard. The best thing you can do before the winter weather hits is to trim those dangerous branches and remove those dead trees today.
