When winter arrives, your trees still need care. Although trees are dormant this time of year, what you do can help to protect them from snow, ice, and cold temperatures. Here are some winter tree care tips to help you this season.

Water until the soil freezes

Just because the warmest days of the year are behind us doesn’t mean you should stop watering. Fall can, in fact, be a dry season. What’s more, trees’ roots continue to grow and require water and nutrients until the ground freezes. One winter tree care tip we have is to water your trees throughout the fall and early winter until the ground fully freezes. In our area, this can be as late as the end of December.

Newly planted or young trees that still have a small root mass especially need continued watering. And, when it comes to watering, go for low and slow so that you deliver the water directly down to the tree’s root zone. How often and how long you should water depends on tree species, soil type, and our weather conditions. You can check the soil and your tree’s foliage to determine if your tree is over- or under-watered, or you can consult one of our experts for guidance.

Add mulch for protection

Before the heavy snows and ice arrive, mulch around each tree with two to four inches of wood chips, bark, or other organic material. This mulch insulates against temperature extremes while also nourishing the soil and preserving moisture levels. Be sure to keep the mulch layer at least three inches away from the base of the tree trunk to allow the tree to properly breathe. Mulch also helps to hold in moisture, from watering, rains, or melting snows.

Prune in winter

Winter is an ideal time to prune because trees are dormant. Pruning can help the health and
shape of your trees, and it can also reduce the risk of damage to the tree from a winter
snowstorm or ice storm. Pruning cuts should be left uncovered, and proper pruning cuts should
be made just outside the branch collar. Advanced Tree Care’s arborist and professional staff can
help with proper pruning of your trees and shrubs, including identifying which types of trees
can only be pruned during dormancy.

Prune, cable, or brace branches

Winter snow and ice can weigh tree branches down, stressing weak branches. If tree branches are close to your house, driveway, or sidewalks, err on the side of protecting your property. Consult with Advanced Tree Care on pruning, cabling, or bracing these branches to prevent damage. In addition, avoid parking under or near branches that are heavily laden with snow or ice. Falling branches cause a lot of damage.

Don’t shake

Trees and branches can sag under the weight of winter’s snow and ice. While it’s tempting to shake off your trees or branches after a heavy snow, resist doing so. You can damage your trees, contributing to weak spots or breakage.

Hold the salt

Heavy winter road salting can take its tolls on trees, especially those on parkways or near driveways. This is where plowed snow accumulates, and as it melts, the salt seeps into the soil and the tree’s root system.

You can protect these trees by moving some of the salted snow and distributing it more fully around your yard. You can also help these trees once winter is over by watering them thoroughly. Watering them helps to reduce the salt accumulated in the soil and lessen any damage.

Protect from rodents and deer

Hungry animals might turn to tree bark and branches when foraging in the lean winter months gets tough. Discourage nibblers with rabbit or deer fencing if you notice signs of damage on bark. Sometimes, mice can also take up residence in deep mulch around the tree base, so be sure that mulch is at least three inches from the base.

Tips for newly planted trees

Stakes or ties can provide some stability for newly established trees, but these items should be removed in winter. Trees will establish more quickly and develop stronger trunk and root tissue without these aids. Many trees, though, especially those that lose their leaves and have thin bark (like Japanese maples) can benefit from tree wrapping. This thin plastic layer protects trees from cold temperatures and sunscald, which is when warm winter sun heats up bark for a short time before temps drop back down at night or in stormy weather. If you have evergreen or arborvitae trees, you should wrap these in burlap, especially if fully exposed to the wind or went through a drought in the warm season. Advanced Tree Care can help with winter tree care, including preparing your young trees for the season.

Advanced Tree Care combines top-notch equipment, cutting-edge technology, and well-trained staff to provide emergency tree removal and tree maintenance services. With a presence in nine counties and two states, we work daily to provide unparalleled customer service, safety, and efficiency—as well as the expertise to beautify your landscaping and community. Advanced Tree Care isn’t just our name—it’s also our purpose!

Commercial Tree Services

As tree care professionals, we serve both residential and commercial property owners with their tree care needs. Our commercial customers include:

• Municipalities, park districts, and other government agencies
• Private businesses, business parks, and corporate campuses
• Facilities, including golf courses and cemeteries

Many of our commercial services overlap with our residential services, only greater in scale—since commercial properties tend to be much larger and be home to a great number and variety of trees. Services include:

Tree pruning

Regular tree pruning creates stronger and healthier trees with attractive, pleasing shapes. Pruning is conducted, though, for both health and safety. While pruning can take place at any time of the year for most species of trees, certain types of trees should only be pruned during dormancy in late fall or winter. A certified arborist directs all pruning, which entails three types:  

• Class 1, or fine pruning, is a detailed process in which the full tree is pruned, tip to stem. All dead limbs are removed, and branches are thinned, shaping the canopy over time. This type is the most common type of pruning for residential projects.
• Class 2, or general pruning, is the most common type of pruning for commercial projects. Only dead limbs are removed, so general pruning is less extensive, though does need to be performed more frequently.
• Class 3, also called safety pruning, concerns the removal of dangerous limbs that could pose a safety hazard in high winds, intense storms, or with the added weight of snow or ice.

Commercial tree removal

This service is offered for both planned and emergency removal of trees damaged through disease, decline, weather, or other reasons. Because tree removal can be complex and dangerous, it is best conducted by a professional tree service led by a certified arborist.

Commercial stump removal

Commercial stump grinding is conducted following the removal of a tree or trees. There are five different methods for stump grinding, and a certified arborist will help determine which is the most effective way for a particular project or situation.

Government, municipal, and park district services

Public and government agencies want to ensure that trees and landscapes are safe, healthy, and cared for properly for the enjoyment of residents and the betterment of the community. As the exclusive contracted tree service provider for ten cities, multiple park districts, and other government agencies, Advanced Tree Care currently manages over 60 square miles of urban landscape trees and shrubs in 13 counties in two states—Illinois and Wisconsin.

Golf course and cemetery services

To enhance the beauty and ensure the safety of golf courses and cemeteries’ trees, Advanced Tree Care provides regular maintenance and care for these facilities’ treescapes.

Land clearing and restoration

Some commercial sites require a fresh start. New construction or extensive renovation often require planting a landscape from scratch. An experienced staff can remove old, dead, diseased, or unsuitable trees and plants and design a new landscape for a site.

Maintenance programs

Our programs give trees proper service and periodic care so they look their best and thrive at their healthiest. Our two primary programs are Advanced Gold and Advanced Silver. We work with our clients to determine the right fit for the budget and need.

Tree identification and inventory

A full tree inventory creates a baseline for monitoring and caring for the health of a treescape—in the most efficient way possible. It catalogs the species and condition of a property’s trees and notes the presence of any invasive species or problematic pests. Like a plat of survey, the tree inventory notes the position of every tree on the property.

Advanced thermal tree imaging

Commercial projects often benefit from advanced thermal tree imaging, which uses FLIR (forward-looking resonance imaging) to analyze areas of stress not visible to the naked eye. This data allows a certified arborist to make informed decisions regarding preventive care, treatment, or removal.

Advanced Tree Care combines top-notch equipment, cutting-edge technology, and well-trained staff to provide emergency tree removal and tree maintenance services. With a presence in nine counties and two states, we work daily to provide unparalleled customer service, safety, and efficiency—as well as the expertise to beautify your landscaping and community. Advanced Tree Care isn’t just our name—it’s also our purpose!

Being a tree owner may be a bigger responsibility that some people realize. If you are a homeowner who would like to see your trees be their best, year after year, there is a good deal of maintenance required. Tree growth, plumage, and fruit production all depend on the wellness of the tree.

Think of your own health. Some people only go to the doctor when something is wrong. Sometimes, the doctor can fix you, but if you have waited too long to check out a problem, there may be more permanent damage. As such, health advocates usually recommend people get annual check-ups so the doctor can catch any problems before they become too serious.

Trees, as living things, are the same. They can also get sick or diseased if not properly maintained. Also, much like people, trees need special care in the winter, when the cold weather makes it easier to get sick. If you are a property owner with trees on your land, you should be aware of the care needed to keep your trees at their best.

What to Do To Care For Your Trees This Winter

1. Tree Pruning

Why is pruning necessary? Consider trees that are never pruned. Their branches are often unruly. While you may think that gives them a certain charm, there is danger to consider. Limbs that get too long become hazards, whipping in harsh winter winds into whatever might stand in their way. Once snow and ice begin to fall, the danger becomes even more intense, as these now heavy limbs can break and fall, landing on whatever is in their way.

2. Protecting Trees

Young or newly planted trees need special help to survive their first winter in a new home. Pruning is not the first line of action for these trees. Instead, consider insulating these saplings by wrapping them or applying a windbreak. Roots are especially vulnerable, and a layer of wood chips or mulch will help to protect them. This layer of mulch will also help to guard against frost heaving, expansion and contraction of the soil which can expose young roots to the harsh winter elements.

3. Feeding Your Trees

Are you feeding your trees? Have you ever even thought about it? If you have trees that have been growing throughout its season, usually spring and summer, producing fruit or foliage, and staying green, then you most likely have a healthy tree that needs to have continued sustenance through the winter. Look for an appropriate fertilizer or ask for recommendations from your local nursery. In addition, trees need water even during the winter. Before the cold sets in, make sure to give your trees a good watering (if nature has not already done that for you). Then, consider applying fertilizer and a layer of mulch to insulate the roots.

4. Cleaning Your Trees

Because winter often leads to snow, and trees are often near roads, trees often get a part of the treatment given to the roads before and after a snowstorm. If that treatment includes salt or other harsh chemicals, it could splatter onto the trunks of nearby trees either when applied or when plowed with the snow. These chemicals can do damage to the bark of a tree, eating away at its natural protective coating. Keep your roadside trees safe and healthy by cleaning off anything that gets thrown on them by passing plow trucks after a winter storm. If you prefer to get ahead of the game, wrap the trunks nearest the road with burlap to protect the trees ahead of the storm.

5. Tree Bracing

It might be common to remember to brace young trees with stakes and rope while they are growing, but the truth is that saplings are not the only ones who need training or bracing. As trees grow, their branches (and sometimes even the trunks) may start going in a direction you hadn’t planned. If this happens to go over your property line or over a sidewalk in the way of pedestrians, you may need to consider getting cables to retrain, or hold back the intrusive parts of the tree. This can be done with strong string tied to the trunk of the tree.

6. Tree Servicing

Think of your annual tree service the same way you would your annual doctor visit. Sure, you might be okay to skip a year if you are feeling healthy, but you might not catch something that might be going on underneath the surface. Likewise, your trees have no way of telling you when they are suffering from an invisible disease. Getting an appointment with a certified arborist will help to make sure your trees will be their best through the winter.

When to Service Your Trees?

The timing for your winter preparation can be extended through several months. Some steps can be done earlier, while some steps require more precise timing.

Initial inspection of your landscape can take place in the autumn months. Once leaves begin falling, it becomes easier to see any damage that has already inflicted the base of deciduous trees. This is a good time to contact a certified arborist and get further recommendations.

Pruning your trees depends mostly on the type of tree you have. Here’s a brief guide:

1. Flowering trees – Late summer/early fall, as they begin to produce.
2. Fruit trees – Late winter/early spring, during hibernation.
3. Shrubs – Late winter/early spring, during hibernation.

While the immediate protection of your roadside tree trunks will take place throughout the winter, most of your winter preparation will take place by the end of autumn/beginning of winter.

Why You Want to Service Your Trees

Keeping your trees safe and healthy is more than just an aesthetic whim. While you certainly want to keep your yard beautiful for your own viewing pleasure, taking care of your trees goes deeper than that.

1. Bugs

Dead wood, such as you would find in trees that have not had proper care, can invite any number of unwelcome insects. Winter is often the time that creatures such as the very destructive pine beetle will lay its eggs, ready in the spring with an army to assault all living trees in the area – the healthy along with the sick. Caring for your trees before the attack can save all the trees in the area from destruction.

2. Protection

A primary reason many homeowners choose to plant trees around their property is to provide it with protection from other elements such as the heat of the summer through the shade of the tall, leafy variety, or from wind and rain. Trees can act as a barrier to keep damage of such a sort from a person’s home. However, damaged or unhealthy trees pose a risk if they are not sturdy enough to stand through the elements themselves.

3. Animal Homes

True nature enthusiasts will embrace the opportunity to give a home to birds and other woodland creatures during the winter. Healthy trees will provide both food and shelter for birds, squirrels, and other creatures. Get to know your trees, and you can provide yourself and your family with unpredictable entertainment through the doldrums of winter.

Caring for your trees does involve extra care and attention. However, the reward of a beautiful, healthy homestead is most certainly worth the trouble. Winter can be brutal to any living thing residing outdoors, so be sure to do what you can to care for your greenery. More help is available for you at Advanced Tree Care.