The winters in Metro-Atlanta have had days of 22F degrees and colder over the last few years. Your property’s trees can be adversely impacted by colder temperatures. This is especially true for the isolated and exposed trees within a residential yard. Some of the stress on the tree is inevitable. However, below are steps that you can take to help decrease the damage to your trees caused during the winter months.
Winter Preparation Checklist
When planting new trees on your property, only purchase species that are native to your area’s hardiness zone according to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Planting trees from Zones outside your own could cause significant stress to the trees.
- To help control temperature variations and water loss, put down mulch the base of your trees. Leave some space between the trunk of the tree and mulch to dissuade mice and other rodents.
- Be sure to maintain your trees throughout the year. Stable robust trees will survive the winter months much better than unhealthy or injured ones.
- Remember to only have your trees pruned after they have become dormant so that you no new growth is removed.
- Use fertilizer in the fall that aids growth of the tree’s roots.
- Occasionally check your trees for signs of rodent damage during the months. Visit you local home improvement store to purchase rodent repellents if needed.
- Do an inspection of your trees each year before spring. Hurriedly make sure any injured tree is treated, particularly by an ISA certified arborist.