How to Prepare Your Trees for Winter

The ideal time for pruning is during mid- or late autumn. When the last leaf has fallen, you’ll get a clear view on where you need to do corrective pruning. This is necessary so you can aptly prepare your trees for the winter, which is considered an extreme weather for the trees themselves. Everyone knows that an unhealthy tree is a safety hazard for you and your property. 

Winter storms are very risky for trees, especially those that aren’t structurally sound. Trees that have broken and rotting branches won’t be able to hold up the added weight of a windy ice storm or heavy snowfall. This is why autumn is the best time to prune, brace, and cable your trees or else Jack Frost will make the most out of them.  

What is Tree Pruning? 

Tree pruning is a basic service offered in any type of tree care program. Pruning is the process of searching for loose, cracked, and diseased limbs and then cutting them close to the trunk. Tree experts will also look for branches that form the narrow V-shaped crotches as these are weaker than wide-angle crotches. There’s a proper way of removing these V-shaped branches. 

Pruning and sculpting a tree is both an art form and a science. This is why it has to be done by an expert. If you don’t know anything about tree pruning, don’t attempt to do the job yourself. You may just worsen the tree’s situation instead of helping it stand the harsh winter weather.  

What Else Should You Do? 

Aside from pruning, tree care also includes bracing. This is necessary for trees that seem weak and may not withstand the several layers of snow on its leaves. Cabling and bracing are structural tree maintenance jobs that are best delegated to a professional arborist. An arborist is a tree care expert who can climb up the tree and do all things necessary to make it sound for the entire winter.  

The seasons can change quickly so don’t take the chance of missing out on fall to do the necessary tree maintenance work. If your trees buckle under the winter storm, then it may cause damage to your property. Worse, it may even injure somebody. So don’t take that risk. As a responsible homeowner, you need to do what needs to be done to prevent unfortunate accidents.  

How to Hire Tree Care Experts 

If you need tree removal services, scout all the professional arborists in your area whom you can possibly hire. Then do all the basic background checks that you normally do when hiring a professional. Be sure that you’re dealing only with the most reputable businesses because you definitely want to have an expert to work on your trees.  

Tree care and maintenance is also a science so no handymen can do the job. Climbing up a tree with all the cutting and pruning tools is quite dangerous so this isn’t a task for anybody who doesn’t have the right tools or equipment to carry out a safe job.