How To Avoid Frost Damage On Your Trees?

When the weather is below 32 degrees for an extended period, it can cause damage and freeze your trees and shrubs. If you want your trees to remain healthy and beautiful looking, you must work hard to take proper care of them throughout the year. One reality that you need to be aware of and protect against is frost damage. Cold weather damages trees, but luckily there are tree damage treatment and prevention techniques you can use to your advantage.

Winter is approaching, so now is a wise time to educate yourself on these tactics and pieces of advice so you can get started protecting your trees from the harsh weather that will likely arrive shortly. The drastic changes in the weather and temperatures put your trees and plants at risk for damage and not bouncing back as quickly or beautifully in the spring. Let these ideas make you feel confident that you can protect your trees and ensure they return strong, sturdy, and stunning.

Trees Susceptible to Damage

Certain trees are more susceptible and at risk of frost damage, so take a look around your yard to see if you have any of these. Keep in mind that new growth and tender or young trees can also easily be injured by freezing temperatures. Be on the lookout if you have any of the following trees in your yard:

• Citrus
• Jacaranda
• Catalpa
• Oleander
• Eugenia
• Other tropical/subtropical plants

It’s good to be aware that the freeze that your trees endure doesn’t have to harm them permanently. If you take the right precautionary steps and are proactive, then hopefully, you’ll be able to salvage your trees and keep them looking nice and beautiful.

Action to Take Before Freezing Weather

It would be best if you took action before freezing weather hits to keep your trees looking presentable and healthy. You must protect your trees and plants ahead of time. For example, you can cover trees that are at risk to freezing temperatures with burlap, sheets, and tarps to trap in the warmth in the surrounding area and keep it as protected as possible from the cold. You want to minimize contact between the cover and the trees or shrubs and can do so by using stakes or by putting a frame around it. If you can, bring your trees and potted plants to a more protected area or location where they can keep warm and thrive.

The soil that is kept moist will absorb more solar radiation and re-radiate heat throughout the night. Therefore, you should work hard to keep your trees and plants well-watered. Don’t be afraid to run sprinklers at the coldest time of the day (between 4 AM and 6 AM) to give large trees that require protection a slight edge against the harsh and cold conditions. The damage from the anticipated dehydration will be less severe if the plant is not already dry and stressed and strained.

In general, proper plant health care is a great offense and defense for protecting your trees from frost damage. It includes activities such as proper watering, deep root fertilizing, soil amendments, and pruning. It would be best if you got on a schedule and were consistent and committed to taking care of your trees and doing what’s in your power to protect against and avoid frost damage.

Advanced Planning for Freeze

There are additional steps you can take to prepare for a freeze. For instance, it’s wise to mulch because wood chips prevent soil moisture loss and will insulate the tree roots. Mulching your trees in the fall will help minimize damage from blankets of frost. Also, bare soil absorbs and reflects heat best so remove any weeds or turf from under your trees’ canopies. If you can, bring your plants and susceptible greenery near sources of reflective heat such as buildings and walls. Another aspect you want to be on the lookout for is your tree bark cracking. It may happen to the lower section of the tree trunk if it’s repeatedly exposed to freezing temperatures and frost. You may notice a vertical crack occurs. The upside is that you can use tree guards to help protect the trunks from any frost damage.

Action After A Freeze

You may also need to deal with taking action after a freeze hits your trees. Therefore, you’ll want to know what steps to take to help your trees recover. Avoid pruning your trees and taking anything off right away. Instead, be patient and wait to see what ends up sprouting and growing in the spring. It might look bad at first glance, but it might not be as dire of a situation as you may think. You might come to find that new growth emerges from what you thought was dead tissue. If the damage is bad enough and your tree is losing shade, then be sure to protect the now-unshaded portions of the trunk and branches from the sun with a physical cover or with whitewash. You may find that fruit trees suffer the most when the weather is cold and shifts frequently. You can also salvage any frosted or mushy fruit by removing it and using it for juicing or snacking.

Getting in Touch

Here at TreeNewal, our arborists care deeply about ensuring your trees remain strong, healthy, and free from frost damage. We use sustainable tree care techniques and products and will be happy to provide you with advice that will save you money in the long run. Our Arborists are ISA Certified, which means they have special training and certification so you can rest assured you’re receiving the best tree service and protection possible. We’re also fully insured and prepared to take on a variety of tree projects. We encourage you to fill out the form on our website to tell us more about your trees or ask any questions you have. We’d be happy to provide a quote for you and set up a consultation to come and visit your property to inspect the trees and soil.

Your neighbors at TreeNewal are here to help you. To reach our ISA Certified Arborists for professional tree maintenance and tree services, or even if you just have some questions, give us a call today at tel:(817) 592-6846

To learn more about how to avoid frost damage on your trees, call our Argyle and Southlake based teams

at tel:(817) 592-6846 or send us a message.

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