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 prepping for sunscald and the need to wrap your trees.
Prepping For Sun Scald
The best methods involve reflecting the sunlight or insulating the trunk. For years, orchardists have used white latex paint on fruit trees to combat sunscald. This is an acceptable orchard practice, but it may look objectionable in the home landscape.
Use of crepe paper to insulate the trunk is the best method. This tree wrap, available at local garden centers and nurseries, keeps trunk temperatures cool. Start wrapping at the base of the tree, overlapping one-third with each turn. This ensures the wrap will shed water. Wrap up to just above the second branch and secure with stretchable tape. Do this in November and remove wrap around Easter. It is imperative that the wrap be removed in the spring; if left on it can harbor insects or disease and the tape can injure the tree as it expands in the spring. You’ll need to wrap the trees for the first two or three winters.
Sunscald is less likely to be a problem for trees planted on the east or north sides of buildings, because they are less likely to be in full sun than are trees planted on west or south exposures.
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.