Preparing Your Trees For Winter This Fall

Winter is just around the corner. While you and your family may be ready for the frigid temperatures and whirling snowstorms, it’s safe to say your trees are probably not. Before this year’s snowmageddon, head outside and complete this checklist to make sure your trees are well-equipped to brave the upcoming winter months.

Home and trees during the fall season
  1. Cleanup. The first thing you’ll want to do to prepare your trees for winter is some general clean up duties. Inspect your yard for fallen branches and remove them (or hire someone to remove them if they’re too large). Next, look for tree branches that hang over your home or areas where people frequent. Snow will accumulate on these limbs during the winter causing them to break and fall, which can mean bad news for your roof, cars, etc. If the branch is of considerable size or you’re worried about it, it’s best to remove it before it causes larger issues. Lastly, prune your trees to remove dead or dying branches. This reduces the risk of disease and will give your trees the strength they need to survive the winter.
  2. Fertilize. Trees lose much of their vital nutrients in the summer due to the hot, drying conditions. It’s important to apply a slow-release fertilizer to your trees during the fall in order to replenish those lost nutrients and provide them with enough food to survive the winter. The fertilizer will also help trees fight insects, disease, and damaging weather.
  3. Water heavily. Similar to fertilizing, fall is the time to provide your trees with a hefty amount of hydration. Give your trees extra water during the fall because winters can actually be as drying as summers.
  4. Mulch. Applying mulch around your trees is a good way for them to retain moisture during the winter. Mulch acts as both a sponge that holds water as well as a barrier to the outside elements. Be mindful to keep at least six inches of space between tree bark and where you lay the mulch to prevent fungus from growing on the trunk itself.
  5. Plant new trees. It may seem counterproductive to plant new trees in the autumn months, but it’s actually one of the most successful times to do it. During the fall, there’s no extreme heat and less drought, which gives newly planted trees the ability to form a strong root system before winter dormancy.
  6. Wrap. After the first freeze of the year (which usually occurs during late October or early November), wrap your trees using commercial tree wrap. The wrap acts as a barrier around your trees to prevent winter burn (a condition involving extreme drying) and other damaging winter effects. To learn more about how to wrap your trees, click here.

Many of us aren’t big fans of the winter season, but it doesn’t have to be because of the damage it does to our trees. Follow these tips to protect your trees and landscaping this winter and contact Dudley’s Dew Right for all your professional tree service needs!

Post-Storm Tree Cleanup

Tree in countryside during stormy weather

Although spring is considered storm season, Nebraska is no stranger to experiencing severe weather all the way into the autumn months. There’s nothing worse than waking up after a stormy night to find your garbage can in your neighbor’s yard, wooden panels missing from your fence, and of course, your beloved trees split and disheveled. Your first reaction may be to get everything cleaned up and back to the way it was looking before the storm, but taking the wrong actions can result in losing trees that could have otherwise been saved. Follow these steps for the most thorough tree repair and replenishment after a storm:

Look around and assess the area. Safety should always be your number one priority. Scan the area for downed power, utility, telephone, and cable lines, and be aware that even fence wires can hold an electrical charge when there are fallen power lines nearby. If you notice any large hanging tree branches or broken limbs, call a professional instead of handling it yourself.

Remove broken branches still attached to trees. It’s a good idea to remove the remains of any smaller broken or separated branches that are still hanging on to your trees (this is known as pruning). Removing these broken branches after a storm will minimize the risk of decay agents entering the tree’s wounds. Smaller branches should be removed at the joint where they connect to larger ones, but be careful not to accidentally remove any wood that is alive and healthy.

Repair/remove torn bark. Trees have an incredible ability to repair themselves, so don’t panic if you notice damage to the bark of your tree. However, jagged wounds in the bark disrupt the tree’s ability to transport nutrients, so it’s important to clean-cut, or remove the damaged areas by cutting it away, the bark. Only remove what is absolutely necessary and don’t use a sealant over the top of the wound.

Know when it can’t be saved. Even though some can recover from even severe damage, sometimes the tree cannot be saved. If the tree is leaning over your home, driveway, or other areas where people walk, it must be cut down. If the tree is hanging over a power line or other source of electric energy, it needs to be cut down immediately and by a professional. A tree that has sustained significant root damage will need to come down as well, but you may not be able to tell right away. A few months after the storm, you can use a pitchfork to check to make sure the tree’s larger roots are alive beyond the first foot or two of their length. Healthy roots are brown/gray with hard, whitish centers, while dying roots are soft.

The most important tip we can give you about post-storm tree aid is that you shouldn’t try to do it all yourself, especially if you have little tree care experience. Your trees may have experienced hidden damage that you are unaware of and the use of power tools can be dangerous for big jobs. For a second opinion or assistance with tree repair/cleanup, contact your tree experts at Dudley’s Dew Right Services!