The winter weather that comes to the Spokane region can be pretty extreme. The snow, wind, and cold temperatures that are associated with the season can be difficult for our trees to deal with. Trees can be quite strong, but sometimes, they need a little help. We’ve included a few tree care tips that you can follow to ensure that your trees stay healthy in the winter.

Protect the Bark of Young Trees from Sunscald

Each winter day can be unique. Some days are cold and overcast, and others could be bright and sunny. This variation might be nice for people, but it’s not the best for trees.

A tree could be tricked into becoming more active on a sunny day because the sun shining on its bark can heat it up. The bark cells may lose some of their protection as they sense the warmer temperatures and become more active, but then they’re in for a shock when the temperature drops back down again at night. The cold weather can then damage the bark, leaving cracks or causing the bark to sink in or peel.

Young trees, with their more tender bark, are more susceptible to this problem, as are trees with naturally thinner bark. To prevent this from happening, you can cover vulnerable tree trunks in white tree wrap for the winter. This will reflect the sunlight and prevent the bark from getting too warm on a sunny day.

Remove Weak Branches

Sometimes, certain parts of a tree can be vibrant and healthy while other parts are weak. Those weak sections are much more likely to fall down in the winter. Heavy snow and ice could bring them down, as could a strong wind gust. It can be a dangerous, stressful, and expensive situation when a big branch comes down unexpectedly.

You can have the team at Curtis Point Tree Service come to your place in Spokane to remove any branches that may be weak. We’ll carefully handle this job so that no damage will be done. We’ll look for dead branches, as well as those that show signs of infection or rot. This can reduce the chances of a disastrous event happening, and it can prevent any infections or problems from spreading to the rest of the tree.

Insulate the Soil With Mulch

Cold temperatures can cause harm to roots if they’re not protected. The soil, thankfully, can do a good job of acting as an insulator, and you can provide even better protection if you spread a 4-inch or 5-inch layer of mulch down around a tree. Lay the mulch in a donut shape around a tree trunk so that it doesn’t pile up near the trunk; this could cause problems later on.

These three tips should be able to help your trees get through the winter. Call Curtis Point Tree Service to schedule an appointment.