Winter can be hard on trees in Muncie and surrounding Indiana communities. Cold temperatures, frozen soil, snow, ice, road salt, and hungry animals can all affect tree health during the colder months.
Some winter tree problems are easy to miss at first. Others, like broken limbs or storm-damaged branches, can create immediate safety concerns around your home, driveway, sidewalk, or property.
Here are some common winter tree care issues to watch for and what you can do to help protect your trees.
Common Winter Tree Care Issues
Winter Burn
“Winter burn” refers to the browning or bleaching of evergreen foliage during the winter. This often happens when sun and wind cause trees to lose moisture while frozen roots are unable to replace the lost water.
Sunny winter days can also warm the tree’s tissue, only for temperatures to drop quickly after sunset. That sudden change can damage or kill active tissue. In some cases, evergreen foliage may also bleach when chlorophyll is affected by cold temperatures.
How to Help Prevent Winter Burn
You can help reduce winter burn by creating a barrier with burlap or a similar material on the south, southwest, and windward sides of evergreens. If all sides of the tree are exposed, you can surround the tree, but leave the top open so air and light can still reach it.
Watering evergreens before the ground freezes can also help them enter winter with better moisture reserves.
Frost Heaving
Frost heaving happens when soil repeatedly freezes and thaws. This movement can push small or shallow-rooted plants out of the ground, exposing their roots to cold air and drying winter winds.
How to Help Prevent Frost Heaving
Mulch can help protect shallow roots by insulating the soil and helping it hold moisture. If a plant has already been pushed out of the ground, wait until the soil thaws, then gently replant it and cover the root area with mulch.
Salt Damage
Road salt and sidewalk de-icers can harm trees and shrubs over time. Salt can move into the soil and affect roots, stems, buds, and foliage. The damage may be subtle at first, but it can eventually lead to browning, stunted growth, and overall decline.
How to Reduce Salt Damage
It may be impossible to keep salt completely out of your yard, especially near roads, sidewalks, and driveways. However, you can reduce damage by shoveling before applying salt and using de-icing products carefully. When possible, avoid piling salty snow near trees and shrubs.
Winter Drought
Winter drought is a common issue for trees, especially evergreens. When the ground is frozen, trees may struggle to draw in water. Wind and sun can continue to pull moisture from foliage and branches, leaving trees stressed before spring arrives.
How to Help Prevent Winter Drought
Water trees well in the fall before the ground freezes, especially during dry weather. Adding mulch around the base of the tree can also help hold moisture and protect the root zone.
A simple way to check moisture is to dig several inches into the soil before the ground freezes. If the soil clumps together, there is usually enough moisture. If it crumbles easily, the area may need more water.
Animal Damage
Mice, rabbits, and other rodents may chew tree bark during the winter. This can expose the base of the tree and, in severe cases, damage the tree enough to affect its long-term health. Deer can also feed on stems and branches during the colder months.
How to Protect Trees From Animals
To help protect young or vulnerable trees, use metal mesh or tree guards around the trunk. Make sure the protection is installed properly and does not cut into the bark. Repellents may also help discourage deer and other wildlife, especially when used before feeding patterns become established.
Dead or Broken Branches
Snow and ice can add heavy weight to branches. Weak, dead, cracked, or overextended limbs are more likely to break during winter weather. These branches can fall without warning and may damage roofs, vehicles, fences, sidewalks, or nearby structures.
If snow builds up on smaller branches, it may be possible to gently brush it off. Be careful, though. Hitting or shaking frozen branches can cause additional damage.
When to Call a Tree Service Company
If a snow-covered, broken, or dead branch is hanging over your home, driveway, garage, or walkway, it is best to call a professional. Winter tree work can be dangerous, especially when branches are heavy, frozen, or already damaged.
Josh Newsome’s Tree Surgery provides tree pruning, hazardous limb removal, storm damage cleanup, and tree removal for homeowners in Muncie and surrounding Indiana communities. If you are concerned about a damaged or unsafe tree this winter, our team can inspect the situation and recommend the safest next step.
Winter Tree Care Tips for Homeowners
A few simple steps can help reduce winter tree damage:
- Water trees in the fall before the ground freezes
- Add mulch around the root zone
- Avoid piling salty snow near trees and shrubs
- Protect young trunks from rabbits, mice, and deer
- Watch for cracked, dead, or hanging branches
- Call a professional if a limb or tree becomes a safety concern
Winter tree care is about prevention, safety, and knowing when to ask for help. Taking care of small concerns early can help prevent bigger problems after snow, ice, and storms.
For help with winter tree concerns, storm-damaged branches, pruning, or hazardous tree removal, contact Josh Newsome’s Tree Surgery for a free estimate.
Phone: (765) 378-TRIM (8746)
Email: joshnewsome51@comcast.net