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7 Tips on Winter-proofing Young Trees

Published on
January 21, 2025

Young trees are the key to a healthy, thriving urban landscape. But they face many

 challenges in winter. Extreme cold can cause a tree’s tissue to freeze, split, and die. Newly planted trees are especially susceptible to extreme cold. Other winter challenges are desiccation (drying out), sunburn, rodents, and ice and snow damage.

Young trees are more vulnerable in winter than mature trees because of their thin bark, shallow roots, and lack of developed defenses. Here are some of the more severe winter threats to young trees:

  • Snow and ice damage
  • Freezing temperatures
  • Desiccation (drying out)
  • Sunburn (aka sunscald)
  • Rodent damage

Being proactive is the key to protecting young trees in winter. Use the seven actions below to take control of young trees.

  1. Tree Wraps: Thin bark wrapped around the trunks of young trees protects them from sunscald and frost damage. Wrap your trees in late fall before the first hard frost. 
  2. Mulch—Apply 2-4 inches of mulch around the tree’s base, out to the drip line (the outermost edge of the canopy where water drips off the leaves).
  3. Watering—Water young trees before the ground freezes. Well-watered trees are better equipped for winter. Don’t over water young trees; soggy soil can cause problems.
  4. Pruning—Don’t prune in late fall or early winter. Prune in late winter or early spring when trees are dormant. Remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches and branches crossing or rubbing against each other.
  5. Inspect trees—Look for pests or diseases and act accordingly. Winter is a great time to treat trees for specific pests that overwinter in the soil or on the tree.  
  6. Staking—You may need to stake some young trees. If you stake your trees, make the stakes loose enough to allow trunk movement in the wind. Make sure the stakes are about a foot away.
  7. Snow Removal—Wet, heavy snow is bad for young trees. Gently shake the branches to remove excess snow. Don’t jerk or pull the branches.  

Now that you know how to winterize young trees, be proactive and take steps now to protect them in winter. If you have questions about winterizing young trees, contact a registered arborist or one of our experts at RITree.

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