It’s that time of year here in east Tennessee when we will probably see a little bit, or possibly a lot, of snow and ice. There’s something captivating about trees covered in sparkling snow, until a snowstorm knocks a tree in your yard over, causing damage to your home, property, or utility lines. Your tree care experts in the Tri-Cities at Promier Tree have some tips to help you gear up for winter by making sure your trees are ready to handle the wintry mix of weather.
Clean Up
Just like when you were a kid before you could do anything else you had to clean up, tree care is the same way. Before you can move forward with protecting your trees, first clean up all of the dead leaves and branches that have already fallen onto your yard. This cleanup effort also will help the health of your grass as well by allowing the winter sunlight to reach the grass, providing it with light that it needs to grow. Take care also to remove any weeds or unwanted plants that have sprouted up too close to the trunks of your trees.
Prune
Winter is the perfect time to prune most trees because they are dormant, and trimming or pruning trees in Kingsport during this time of year will not encourage new growth. Also, since the leaves have all fallen away from the trees, the entire structure and all of the tree limbs can be clearly seen to determine which ones need pruning or removing to prevent injury or damage.
Wrap Trees
Certain trees may be subject to sunscald, along with other issues that may damage the bark, during the winter. Wrapping trees can help prevent this problem, and protect them from the elements all winter long. You wouldn’t need to do this necessarily to an established oak or maple tree, as these trees tend to grow quite large. However, you may want to consider wrapping young or small trees that aren’t yet established. Burlap material works great to insulate the tree and can be found at most of your local garden centers. Just be sure that come spring time that you remove the wrapping.
Water and Mulch
Most of us probably don’t think about watering plants or trees during the winter, but they can actually be subject to drought, especially if where you live doesn’t get much rain during this time of year. Be sure that during the fall you add a nice layer of good quality mulch around the base of your trees. This helps add protection by providing insulation and retains moisture.
Fertilize
Fall is the best time to fertilize your trees. Use a slow-release fertilizer, which should sustain your trees throughout the winter. Fertilizer also helps protect tree against damage, disease, and insects.
Plant
Late fall and early winter are the perfect times to plant new trees. The cooler temperatures encourage deep root growth. While it may look like your newly planted tree is on its last leg, don’t worry, it’s quite healthy below the soil! It will become a beautiful, sprouting tree come spring!
Professional tree trimmers in Johnson City
If you would like to learn more about our tree trimming or pruning services, please contact our tree care experts at Promier Tree by calling (423) 872-2988 to schedule an appointment with one of our certified arborists. We provide full-service tree care by our experienced and certified arborists who can safely care for your trees without causing damage.
Promier Tree is here to serve residential and business customers in the areas of Bristol, Johnson City, and Kingsport in Tennessee.