It is common knowledge that we all breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide when we exhale, among other gasses. However, have you ever wondered where the oxygen comes from? One source we receive oxygen from is the surrounding trees!
Benefits Of Healthy Trees
Trees are incredibly important as they shape our environment and provide countless benefits to people across the world. In Minnesota specifically, not only do trees produce oxygen, but they also contribute much needed shade to neighborhoods, economic opportunities and habitats for many of our local critters.
Within neighborhoods, trees provide much needed shade during the summertime heat as they act as umbrellas and shades against harsh sun rays penetration. Trees are also planted for landscape beautification or as architectural design complements. In both cases, it’s important for trees to remain healthy and growing correctly in order to have them do their job effectively and safely.
On the economic side of the conversation, it’s been noted that the worth of a home with well-planted trees increases when it’s placed for sale.
With these important tree facts in mind, are you needing to address your tree health this winter? While winter may seem like an odd, and maybe unpleasant, time to take care of your trees, there are many benefits to winter tree care. If you’re wanting to complete winter tree care this year, Pro-Tree has compiled five proven winter tree care tips that are sure to keep your trees growing happy and healthy.
Winter Tree Care Tips
1. Pruning
One thing homeowners and business owners should do during the wintertime is address their trees by managing any pruning that should take place. Pruning your tree during the winter months is the best time to do this because your deciduous trees are dormant and not in their growing season. The winter season also provides easy access to different areas of the tree because all of the leaves have fallen and you can clearly see where to prune.
Winter tree pruning minimizes tree wounds that could otherwise be fatal if the pruning is done in spring. If pruning is completed during the warm weather seasons, or growing months, their wounds, and the sap that flow from them, can attract various bugs and diseases that can be bad for the tree’s health.
2. Care For New Trees
Young and new trees are generally vulnerable during winter. Since they haven’t had the time to establish their root systems, it could be a challenge to maintain these young trees.
During this time of cold weather, it’s important to take care of your young trees and bushes as they will have to endure a cold, snowy, and maybe icy, winter. One way to ensure young trees will be safe through the winter is to cable your trees so they remain upright through the winter. Because the snow and ice are powerful forces, they could topple your young tree.
Also, make sure you place a plastic guard around the trunk or a wire fence around the tree so no deer or rabbits eat it. This damage can cause the tree to die. Wrapping your bushes with burlap or fabric can also be helpful by preventing winter burn on the growth.
3. Avoid Using Salt Around Trees
As snow and ice build up throughout the winter months, it’s important to remember not to use salt around your trees. Even though salt is a great tool to melt ice on sidewalks and driveways, it could have adverse effects on your surrounding trees.
Salt will end up harming your tree’s roots and trunks by preventing it from absorbing the essentials necessities for life and sustenance from the soil. Instead of salt, use sand or a natural, salt-free de-icer.
4. Regularly Check On Your Trees
Minnesotans know just how quickly the weather can change. During a snowfall or winter storm, it’s important to check on your trees and bushes. if a large amount of snow accumulates on either of these, there could be significant damage to your tree or even your own house. Make sure you’re keeping an eye on your trees and their structure throughout the winter season.
5. Hire A Tree Care Professional
Finally, one of the best tips for winter tree care that we can recommend is that you hire a professional to complete your winter tree pruning and removal tasks. While it may be okay in some situations to perform some winter tree care tasks by yourself, leaving the big projects to the pros is a smart move.
Especially when it comes to pruning branches high in your tree or performing a tree removal, professionals have the right gear and countless years of experience performing these tree care duties. If you’re wanting to complete winter tree care on your property this winter, call a tree care service.
High Quality Winter Tree Care
Are you wanting to address your trees and their health this winter? If you’re located in the greater Twin Cities, MN area, call Pro-Tree Outdoor Services today. Our tree care professionals are highly trained and have many years of experience applying important tree care services to home throughout the Twin Cities metro.
Contact Pro-Tree today for all of your residential and commercial tree trimming, tree removal, tree health and emerald ash borer needs!
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