Winterizing Your Trees: Water, Wrap, and Mulch

Winterizing Your Trees

Prepare your trees before Edmonton plunges to -30°C in winter. Preparing the trees before the deep freeze ensures long-term health. The harsh cold, dry winds, and frozen soil put considerable stress on tree growth. Young, thin-barked trees and evergreen varieties are particularly affected during the harsh winter season. 

 

With a proper winterizing protocol, you can ensure trees enter dormancy with adequate moisture, which helps protect vulnerable bark and keeps root systems insulated throughout the winter months. For tree maintenance in Edmonton, contact professional arborists who follow the right strategy to keep your trees healthy during the harsh season. 

 

Every professional tree surgeon includes three essential steps: deep watering, wrapping, and proper mulching to prepare trees for the upcoming winter. 

 

Deep watering – Why is hydrating plants important?

One of the most essential steps in winterizing your trees is deep watering before the ground freezes. This technique is especially important for evergreens, which continue to lose moisture through their needles during winter. At -30°C, the soil freezes. Roots cannot supply sufficient moisture to the trees. This increases the chances of winter desiccation. 

 

Tree surgeons in Edmonton continue deep watering through autumn as long as the soil remains usable. They apply water slowly so it reaches deep into the root zone. The goal of deep watering is to ensure moisture reaches deeper into the soil, where the roots can access it before it freezes. 

Wrapping – Protecting bark from sunscald and rodents

Young fruit trees, maples and other thin-barked trees are generally vulnerable to this kind of winter damage. During the day in winter, the sunrays warm the bark, and the temperature at night freezes it again. This causes sunscald, which causes cracks and damage to the bark. 

 

Tree wrapping provides an additional protective barrier. Tree surgeons wrap the lower trunk with an appropriate wrap to prevent rodents from feeding on the soft bark during winter. However, wrapping should be done correctly and removed in a timely manner to avoid creating moisture and pest problems.

Mulching – Insulating the root zone

Roots also need protection during freezing winter seasons. A layer of organic mulch around the base of the tree keeps the soil insulated and reduces rapid changes in soil temperature. Arborists around Edmonton thus apply mulch around the roots in a broad layer rather than piling it directly against the trunk. Mulching retains soil moisture and benefits the roots by transporting moisture to the tree during winter. 

 

Evergreen screens – Protection against winter winds

Evergreens like cedars can dry up if they remain exposed to winter winds. In windy locations in Edmonton, tree surgeons take a preventive step by using burlap screens to reduce the plants’ exposure to wind. However, avoid tight wrapping. Instead, they use burlap as a windbreak positioned to shield the tree’s vulnerable sides. This prevents moisture loss and also allows proper air circulation without suffocating the tree. 

Prepare your trees before the deep freeze

Are you looking for experienced arborists to prepare your trees for the winter? Reach out to Trusty Tree Services. We can help you with tree maintenance in Edmonton,  St Albert, Sherwood Park, and Spruce Grove. 

 

Prepare your trees for the deep freeze. Contact us for winter protection services. 

 

📞 Call us for a free estimate 780.860.5500

🔗 Visit our website to learn more https://trustytree.ca/

 

Trusty Tree Services supports municipal and utility projects while delivering safe, efficient tree care to industrial, commercial, and residential clients in the Edmonton and surrounding area.

 

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