Are Your Trees Ready to Face Winter Weather? What Homeowners Should Know
Living in a home surrounded by beautiful trees and shrubs can add many benefits to being a homeowner. However, like flower and vegetable gardens, trees and bushes must also be carefully tended in order to remain healthy and attractive. Even though winter weather is already arriving in some parts of the country, homeowners still have time to examine their trees for potential problems and take proactive steps to solve any that are found. If you are a homeowner wondering what you should know about preparing your home's trees and shrubs for winter, the following information can help.
Provide a healthy drink of water before the full brunt of winter weather arrives
Dry conditions have plagued many areas of the country in recent years causing a condition known as drought stress to affect trees, bushes, and shrubs. Since cold winter weather can aggravate and worsen drought stress, homeowners can help prevent further damage by watering their trees, shrubs, and bushes well before the ground freezes for the winter.
Take steps to prevent vole damage
If you live in an area where chewing rodents, such as voles, are prevalent, you may want to help your trees avoid being damaged by them over the winter. This type of damage is especially common in areas that receive several inches of snow each winter. Voles and some other rodents are able to tunnel under the snow to reach unprotected trees for chewing.
One effective way to avoid this type of damage is to place a barrier around the base of the tree that will prevent them from reaching the bark and chewing on it. Hardware cloth is an excellent material to use to fashion these screens as a DIY project, or you can ask your local tree service professional, like Carlos Tree Service Inc, to help you with this important task.
Look for existing damage from wind, weather, or insects
Bitterly cold temperatures and the harsh winds common in winter can make any existing damage even worse when it comes to trees and shrubbery. To prevent this from happening, homeowners should examine their trees and bushes carefully for broken limbs, insect activity, and areas that appear dead.
In many cases, having a reputable tree service examine any damaged trees as soon as possible is a good idea. If damage is discovered, trimming it may help to avoid further issues. If the damage is severe, it may be best to remove the entire tree to lessen the chances that it could come crashing down unexpectedly on your home or that of a neighbor during a winter storm.