6 Tips To Protect Young Trees
The weather has turned cold and soon it will turn harsh for both humans and the trees. You might be worried about your trees, especially the young ones because they are more vulnerable and may not be able to withstand harsh weather conditions.
If you have a newly planted tree, please note that in the first two years of its life it needs a little extra attention. You need to take proper precautions to ensure that the tree makes it safely through the rough winters. Proper care is also necessary for the long-term health of the growing tree. This is the time when the young trees are able to focus most of their energy on absorbing nutrients and growing their roots.
It is best to take a proactive approach in tree care and take some simple steps to ensure that your young trees sustain through the winter weather. Here are some quick winter tree care tips:
Cover young trees
In case the temperatures drop below 35 degrees, it is a good idea to cover the young trees or saplings so that they don’t suffer frost damage. Also, if it is common in your area to experience very cold temperatures during the night and then bright sun in the morning, you should cover your young plants to prevent sunscald. While older trees usually don’t suffer as badly due to sunscald, younger trees can easily succumb to it.
Sunscald can damage the tree’s bark permanently, adversely affect its health, and in worse cases, kill it. You can cover your young trees with a protective, breathable material so that the tree can stay warm and there is sufficient ventilation.
Pruning
During winter, branches are more vulnerable to breakage, especially the ones that are damaged, diseased, or dying. Tree pruning can keep them safe during harsh winter conditions. It is best to seek help from an arborist, who can check the tree and decide if it needs pruning and how much.
Wrapping your young tree
You can wrap the trunks of your young trees to protect them from sunscald. In fact, it is recommended that young trees should be wrapped for the first two years of their life during both summer and season to protect them from weather-related damage. It is important to choose a breathable and durable material to wrap the tree. When you wrap the tree, ensure that the trunk is covered fully but not so tightly that the tree gets choked.
Mulching
Early winter or even later late autumn is the right time to add mulch around your young trees. Experts recommend adding a two-inch thin layer of mulch. It will insulate the soil and the roots against extreme temperatures and reduces water loss from the soil.
Watering
Trees do not spend energy on leaf growth during the winter, but they still need nutrients and water for root growth. Even during the dormant season, the tree is active so you need to monitor the soil conditions throughout the cold season to ensure that there is the right amount of moisture. Water your tree when the soil below the mulch is dry.
Preventing animal damage
During the winter season, animals such as deer, rabbits, and mice tend to feed on leaves, stems, and twigs. This can cause serious damage to the tree, especially when the tree is young. You can use a wire mesh enclosure to protect your tree from larger animals. Mulching works quite well against rodents.
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