Top 3 Winter Tree Damages and How to Prevent Them

Wintertime is not a great time for trees. Not only are they more susceptible to health and structural difficulties, but it is also more challenging for you to implement the proper inspections needed to ensure they remain in good health throughout the entirety of the season. For these reasons, it is wise to hire a professional tree service provider for all your winter tree care needs. Otherwise, your landscaping trees may fall victim to one of the top 3 most common winter tree problems.

Continue reading to learn what these common winter tree problems are, and where to find the best tree service in town.

Winter Tree Service Indianapolis Indiana 317-783-2518
Winter Tree Service Indianapolis Indiana 317-783-2518

The Most Common Tree Damage Threats in the Winter

Among all of the possible problems that trees can experience in the winter, the top three you need to watch out for are cold damage, frost heaving, and seasonal drought. For each, here is a brief explanation of their causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies:

❶ Cold Damage

The high and low seasonal temperature spectrum can greatly affect trees, especially if they are already weakened or sick. The afternoon sun can be very warm for trees, and then the nightly lows bring them back into a freeze. These changes cause a condition informally known as “cold damage”, which is often distinguishable by a wide range of symptoms, such as cracked or peeling bark, and even inner bark damage. Trees that experience late seasonal growth are more vulnerable to cold damage.

To reverse cold damage, you will need to implement a customized and strategic tree care plan with the help of an industry professional. To prevent cold damage in your landscaping trees, you will need to do the same, except ahead of time, before the winter season is upon us again next year.

❷ Frost Heaving

Frost heaving is a typically winter tree problem, especially in regions where snow and ice are abundant. This condition starts in the soil. As the outdoor climates freeze and fluctuate, the underground water within the soil beneath trees also freezes. This occurrence develops ice in the soil, which causes the soil to swell upwards towards the base of the tree trunk. You may have seen the ramifications of this condition before in concrete, sidewalks, and pavements.  Frost heaving is a problem for tree because it weakens and damages roots, which can then make a tree more susceptible to toppling over.

Frost heaving is not something you can really prevent. If it does occur, you will need professional tree service to ensure the tree is not a hazard or liability. Routine tree care is vital to grow strong, healthy, resistant trees; if you stay on top of tree care, a tree has a better chance of surviving frost heave.

❸ Seasonal Drought

You would think that trees get plenty of water in the winter with all of the snow, but the reality is that freezing temperatures can cause a tree to lose water reserves at a much faster rate; so fast, they cannot absorb enough water from the ground in time to replace the loss. This results in winter drought, which can be identified through a number of symptoms like branch loss, cracking bark, wildlife infestation, and death. Seasonal drought can also lead to late growth in spring, sunburned leaves in the summer, and premature foliage loss in fall.

How to Prevent Damage to Trees in the Wintertime

To help trees avoid seasonal drought, your best approach would include the assistance of an Indianapolis IN tree care company. They have the knowledge and resources necessary to ensure your landscaping trees are healthy and ready to take on winter conditions. In addition to tree service, you can also help tree’s retain moisture through adequate mulching, year-round.

Are your landscaping trees suffering this winter? Contact Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 for licensed Indianapolis Indiana tree service and affordable price. We serve both residential and commercial clients all throughout Central Indiana.

Related Posts:

Can You Prune Trees in Winter?
Winter-Resistant Tree Species for Indiana
Should I Brace My Trees For Winter?

Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518
Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518

Will the Snow Kill My Tree?

Do you have a tree on your lot that has been experiencing some weakness or problems? If so, all this recent snowfall might have your concerned about its potential to persevere through spring. Continue reading to learn how snow and cold temperatures might affect landscaping trees, and what you can do to better protect them for the remainder of the winter season.

Indianapolis Winter Tree Service 317-783-2518
Indianapolis Winter Tree Service 317-783-2518

Winter Tree Threats

There are various factors that can influence the health and condition of a tree, year-round. Not only can harsh winter weather impact a tree’s ability to thrive, other natural occurrences can weaken or damage a tree overtime, such as pest infestation, wildlife tampering, poor soil compaction or pH levels, lawn drainage, landscaping, construction, and much more. As for the winter, the most damaging elements that trees can suffer from include heavy snow, hail, ice, windstorms, and heavy rain.

So, will this recent snowfall cause your trees to die? Probably not, but the possibility is there if your trees have existing health problems, such as disease or malnutrition. Furthermore, newly planted and young trees are more vulnerable to elemental damages, making it important to protect them during times of heavy snowfall and below-freezing temperatures.

Beware of Winter Burn

Also known as desiccation, winter burn is a potentially-fatal seasonal problem among evergreen trees. The most common causes for winter burn are insufficient levels of moisture in soil, freezing temperatures, and inclement winds. These factors cause trees to lose moisture faster than they can replace it, as a result of the frozen ground and soil conditions. Because of these conditions, trees suffering from winter burn often die before spring arrives

How to Protect Trees in Snowy Weather

Diseased, decaying, or dead trees can easily be knocked down in a large snowstorm. It is wise to remove a tree in this condition before it becomes a threat to the people and surroundings in your neighborhood. This is one reason why routine tree care and maintenance is so important. Regular, year-round tree care is highly effective, and can help thrive through winter.

Additional winter tree protection methods:

➥ Burlap Wraps
➥ Cable and Bracing
➥ Tree Staking
➥ Mulching

Winter Tree Service in Indianapolis You Can Count On

Call Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 for experienced tree service in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana. We offer a wide range of residential and commercial tree services, including tree removal, tree trimming, stump grinding, stump removal, lot clearing, and more. If you want professional and efficient service you can trust, Complete Tree Care is the right call!

Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518
Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518

Seasonal FAQS About Tree Care

Our landscaping trees are more than just magnificently appealing; they are also highly valuable to our overall indoor comfort, protection, and efficiency. Not only do trees provide privacy on our properties, they also double as built-in shade canopies, snow fences, wind barriers, and UV-ray absorbers. These attributes offer a higher level of energy efficiency in the home, which in turn, reflects on your monthly utility bills.

For these reasons and more, it is important to implement proper tree care practices every season, even in the winter. Continue reading to review some of the most frequently asked questions and answers regarding winter tree care.

Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518

Indianapolis Tree Pruning 317-783-2518

Should I Prune Trees in Winter?

Tree pruning is important because it stimulates new growth, which in turn, enhances the strength, appeal, and performance of trees. In the winter, trees need to be pruned for optimal spring growth, as well as, pest and disease protection through the colder months. It is a great time to have your trees pruned since all the foliage has dropped. Tree service technicians can easily see where limbs and branches connect, giving them more access to the tree’s canopy.

Do Trees Need Mulch in Winter?

Just like pruning, mulch is also a year-round necessity for trees. Not only does mulch provide an added aesthetic appeal to your landscaping, it actually protects tree roots and retains soil moisture. The mulch bed preserves the heat of the sun and prevents the ground from freezing in harsh temperatures. All of this helps improve soil nutrient levels and conditions, thus promoting healthy tree growth all year.

Will Snow and Ice Kill My Trees?

If you take good care of your trees all year long, including proper tree care practices, watering, pruning, fertilizing, and mulching, you can expect your landscaping trees to survive the winter. However, inclement conditions like snow and ice can harm trees, and even kill them, if they are already weakened, inadequate, or diseased.

How Can I Protect My Trees in Winter?

Aside from pruning and mulching, there are several other initiatives you can take on to ensure winter time survival and optimal spring tree growth. Such undertakings include cabling and bracing, bark repair, integrated pest management, routine inspection, and even dead or hazardous tree removal. Consider talking to a licensed Indianapolis tree service company for professional and personalized advice for your landscaping trees.

Who Do I Call for Trusted Winter Tree Service?

Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518

Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518

Call Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 for Indianapolis tree service you can trust. We are highly trained and experienced tree care technicians that offer commercial and residential tree services at affordable prices. Request an estimate or advice anytime. Call 317-783-2518 to learn more about tree care in Indianapolis, IN today.