When the temperatures drop, your landscape can face a variety of seasonal threats, which may be especially harsh for trees and shrubs. This can cause stress, breakage, and long-term damage. With the correct strategies, you can protect your trees and shrubs throughout the winter. At My Arborist, we offer expert tree services that help your greenery stay healthy during the cold season. Here are a few ways to protect your trees and shrubs throughout the winter:
Assess Tree Health Early
A health evaluation of your trees and shrubs typically involves a certified arborist assessing the condition of each plant. These professionals may be trained to spot early signs of disease, and they are able to find insect infestations and structural issues. This includes weak limbs or poor root systems. Winter tree services allow arborists to intervene early to help prevent minor problems from becoming more serious issues. An arborist may examine environmental factors like soil composition and site exposure. They do this to see how well your trees and shrubs are prepared to withstand winter stressors, which include frost, snow, and wind.
Apply Dormant Oil Treatments
In the winter, insects like aphids, scales, and mites often lay eggs in tree branches and shrubs. They may remain dormant in the crevices of these plants. When the temperatures rise in spring, pests usually become active again, and this often leads to infestations that can damage and kill your landscape.
An effective way to disrupt this cycle is by applying a horticultural oil during your plant’s dormant phase. This oil works by coating overwintering insects and their eggs, which suffocates them before they hatch or re-emerge. Horticultural oils may reduce the need for more aggressive pest control measures later in the season. Incorporating these oils into your tree maintenance plan helps your landscape remain healthy during the winter.
Strengthen Roots with Fertilization
Root fertilization is done by delivering nutrients directly into your tree’s root zone, which bypasses surface soil that is often too compacted to be effective. This process replenishes minerals and improves soil structure. Root fertilization can encourage deeper and stronger root growth.
When a tree doctor performs root fertilization during the dormant season, your tree is better able to handle freezing temperatures, drought, and pests. It helps support a more vigorous growing season in the spring, which leads to improved leaf production and flowering. At My Arborist, we offer fertilization as part of our tree services, which helps your trees build strength.
Schedule Tree Services Today
Winter may pose threats to your landscape, and with the help of a certified arborist, you can protect it. A well-maintained tree can better withstand winter and recover once spring arrives. At My Arborist, our certified tree doctors will evaluate potential problems to your landscape. They will then create a comprehensive care plan that helps protect the life of your trees and shrubs. Visit My Arborist today to schedule a tree service consultation and give your landscape the care it needs to stay healthy throughout the cold season.