Blog, Home Tree Care
3 Tips For Wrapping Your Trees For The Winter
The winter can be harsh on trees, as they are exposed and must survive in dry, cold temperatures. When winter approaches, it’s wise to take steps to protect your trees from damage to help ensure that they will be healthy for years to come.
Sometimes, that means wrapping your trees to protect them from the extremes of winter.
Before you begin wrapping your trees, follow these three tips from Hansen’s Tree Service:
Know Which Trees To Wrap
If the tree is young, has thin bark, in an area exposed to salt spray, or at risk of sun scald, they could benefit from wrapping in the winter. Keep an eye on the weather and cover your trees when the temperature is predicted to get close to freezing and threatens frost.
Otherwise, most trees don’t need to be wrapped in the winter.
Wrap In Burlap Or Other Insulating, Protective Material
Wrapping the trunk of young trees with burlap will protect the bark from winter damage like sun scald and drying. More substantial protection may be needed if deer damage is common your area. Plastic trunk protection devices are sold at nurseries.
Burlap is a good material for protecting trees in the winter thanks to its effectiveness in allowing the tree to breathe, allowing access to moisture and light while maintaining a cool temperature
To correctly wrap your trees:
- Loosely wrap the burlap all the way around the tree from the lowest branches to the top.
- Secure the burlap around the tree at the top, middle, and bottom with twine.
An alternative method of wrapping a tree for the winter is making a “room” for it with burlap. For this method:
- Place wooden stakes into the ground around the tree to be protected.
- Secure the burlap to one of the stakes
- Proceed to wrap the fabric around the outside of the stakes, leaving the top open
If you don’t have burlap on hand, chicken wire stuffed with straw will work as well.
Take the wrap off after the last frost
When the weather begins to warm, take the wraps off of your trees. This will prevent pests and disease from getting a foothold. It will also prevent problems like girdling and abrasions.
Hansen’s Tree Service’s ISA-certified arborists are here to address your tree needs and answer any questions you may have. If you have concerns about the health of your trees this winter, contact us today.