Seven Critical Mid-winter Tree Care Hacks!
Misconceptions about winter tree care can lead to “passive damage”—harm that isn’t immediately visible until the following spring or summer. That’s especially true if you live in New England.
Below are seven common mid-winter tree care tips that can physically and biologically hurt trees:
1. Watering prevents mid-winter desiccation
When trees go months without water, it can lead to desiccation and winter burn—even with Evergreens. Even in mild winters, New England winds can drain needles and bark. If the roots are in dry soil, they can’t replace the water they’ve lost.
2. Shaking snow can cause a vascular snap
Shaking or beating a branch with snow can cause vascular snap as well as microscopic cracks in the xylemand phloem (the tree’s circulatory system). To treat snow on branches, gently remove heavy, wet snow using an upward, sweeping motion with a broom to prevent breakage.
3. Overfertilizing can cause a cellular explosion
Applying nitrogen-heavy fertilizer in mid-winter encourages the tree to produce new, tender cells. A “January thaw” followed by a New England deep freeze can cause the water in those new cells to harden. This activity leaves trees with blackened “dieback” and a depleted energy reserve.
4. Wound paint creates a fungal incubator
Trees don’t heal; they compartmentalize (seal off) wounds using a process called CODIT. By painting the wound, you are essentially building a “greenhouse” for anaerobic bacteria and wood-decay fungi. Treating trees with dormant oils stops infestation.
5. Treating trees with dormant oils stops infestation
Some invasive pests, like the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, have evolved a form of “biological antifreeze” in their systems. If you don’t treat them with dormant oils or mechanical scraping in the winter, their populations will explode.
6. Sap flow is a sign of positive root pressure
Trying to stop it is like trying to stop a healthy person from sweating. The “bleeding” helps flush potential pathogens from the wound. Using sealants alone interferes with this natural cleansing process.
7. Bark is living tree tissue
When the sun drops, bark can flash-freeze, creating a sunscald wound—a massive vertical strip of dead bark that can girdle and kill a young tree. Prevent sunscald damage by wrapping young trunks with white tree guards or burlap.
Questions about winter tree care? Contact experts at RITree. Or call (401) 764-5885. They’ll help you steer clear of winter tree care myths and boost the health of your trees.