How To Protect Trees From Snow And Ice Damage

Homeowners often dread winter for a variety of different reasons. However, for those with trees around their home, the season can be especially worrisome because it exposes the branches, trunk, and roots to snow and ice that may threaten their health. Thankfully, you can protect trees from winter injury caused by snow and ice damage using a few different methods. This includes propping up branches weighed down by ice, melting ice by applying cold water with a spray bottle, placing mulch over tree roots, and pruning damaged tree limbs as soon as you notice them. These tips will ensure your yard thrives during the colder months.

Putting protection methods to use during winter will increase the likelihood of your trees entering spring without sustaining damage. There is no need to feel overwhelmed with any of these processes. Each method only requires you to follow a few simple steps to protect your trees from snow and ice yourself. If you decide to skip out on shielding your trees from harm, branches could break off due to heavy ice, root injury might occur, and bark may undergo damage. It's undeniable that winter can do some real harm to your trees, but it doesn't have to. Just set aside time to put the proper protection in place and your trees should be able to withstand the season without harm.

One of the easiest ways to help protect any small trees from ice damage is by taking a close look at all branches that have accumulated ice. If you spot branches that are weighed down, place something underneath them so that they cannot drop down any further, as this could cause them to break. Be careful not to lift the branches up to the height that they were before the ice forced them to drop, as this could cause breakage, too. Another helpful tip is to fill a spray bottle with cold water and apply it onto your tree branches to melt ice. This way, you do not have to worry about the weight of the ice causing the branches to break. It is vital that you only use this method when the weather starts to warm up to at least above freezing temperatures. Otherwise, the water will simply freeze and add more ice.

It's important to protect tree roots in the winter, too. They're particularly vulnerable during the winter months because they go dormant last, long after stems and branches do. Mulch is the special shield that will prevent root damage during winter. Just apply 3 to 4 inches of shredded wood mulch all around the roots. Keep it 6 inches away from the trunk of your tree. In some cases, your tree branches will inevitably break off. You must act fast when this occurs because damaged branches leave your tree vulnerable to further injury. Prune damaged branches as soon as you spot them to avoid this problem.