Winter is coming. The Tri-Cities winters can either be excessively cold or a bit on the mild side. It’s hard to tell. One of the best things you can do for the health of your trees is to prune and thin them out. Other things that often get overlooked is mulch and water during the winter time.
Mulch
A winter coat will also keep the new trees’ bark more comfortable. Since it is still thin, the bark can split when frozen and quickly thawed. Splits occur when sunny and warm winter days are followed by clear, cold nights. The bark of a young tree will not warm quickly and split if it is shaded. Protect your trees for their first few winters with a spiral plastic tree wrapper. Or wrap the trunk loosely with something like a feed sack or corrugated cardboard. Or lean a couple of tall boards against the southwest side of the tree. Damaging weather is likely in January and February.
Water
Root systems can spread 2-3 times wider than the height of the tree. Most of the tree’s absorbing roots are in the top 12 inches of the soil. Water should be applied within the dripline. Water deeply and slowly, moistening the critical root zone to a depth of 12 inches. Methods for watering include a deep root fork or needle, soaker hose or by hand with a soft-spray wand. If using the deep root fork or needle, insert the device into the soil NO DEEPER than 8 inches.
Water deeply and slowly. Apply water so it moistens the critical root zone to a depth of twelve inches. Methods for watering include a deep root fork or needle, soaker hose or soft spray wand. Apply water to many locations under dripline. If a deep root fork or needle is used, insert the device no deeper than eight inches into the soil.
Keep in mind that having trees on your property comes with a little bit of maintenance. With just a little tree maintenance, you can prevent most major pitfalls. You won’t have to be worried about trees causing property damage or even worse, personal injury. We look forward to discussing your needs. We have trained arborists in the Tri-Cities that are professional and that can answer any questions you have.