As winter weather rolls off the Rocky Mountains, it can make for some interesting conditions in Jefferson County, CO. From heavy snow and freezing temperatures to occasional ice storms, the elements can put a lot of stress on trees.
If not properly prepared, your property can be vulnerable to damage from broken branches, falling limbs, or even trees completely uprooting. Understanding proper winter tree care is important for maintaining their health and longevity. By taking the right precautions, you can help your trees survive the harsh winter weather and thrive come spring.
Key Takeaways
- Prevent winter damage to your trees with proactive inspections from arborists before the winter weather sets in.
- An arborist may suggest pruning, removing, or wrapping trees.
- Inspect damage from a fallen tree or branches from a safe distance and call a professional to handle removal.
- You can remove small debris that falls from winter damage; just follow all safety precautions.
- Wait for warmer weather to see if your trees bounce back from snow and ice damage on their own.
Winters in Colorado and Their Effect on Trees
As you know, if you’ve lived in Colorado for any length of time, winter does not generally harm trees. It’s a natural part of life here, and the trees, plants, and wildlife all adapt (as do we).
However, there are times when snow, ice, or winds from winter storms cause damage, and in those cases, there are things that you can do to help your trees.
Preventive Tips for Winter Tree Care in Colorado
The best method is always prevention, and there are several things you can do to prepare your trees for the winter months.
- Have a professional inspect your trees: An arborist will look for broken branches, split trunks, peeling bark, trees with more than one main stem (although some trees such as birch trees and most bushes have more than one stem), and narrow branch crotches.
- Schedule winter tree pruning: Winter is the perfect time to prune your trees. Have a professional trim any weak, dead, or broken branches that may easily break off during a storm.
- Schedule winter tree removal: Removing dead or dying trees is more efficient in the winter and can eliminate the risk of these hazardous trees from uprooting or breaking in the winter.
- Wrap damage-prone shrubs and trees: Using burlap or cloth strips can protect your trees from fluctuating temperatures and de-icing salt. Just ensure you remove the wrapping when temperatures begin to warm up in the spring.
3 Steps to Take After Winter Weather Damages Your Tree
Even when taking preventive measures, trees can end up damaged by the winter. Here are three steps you can take when that happens:
1. Examine Your Trees and Document of the Damage
Once the storm is over, inspect the damage. Some of the things you should look for include:
- Fallen Trees on Structures: If you know the situation is beyond your control, such as a fallen tree on a house or car, immediately contact a professional tree removal service.
- Tree Limbs on Power Lines: If the tree or limbs have landed close to a power line, contact your local utility company. We always hear stories in the industry about homeowners getting electrocuted by going too close to downed power lines. Always keep a distance until the utility company arrives.
- Broken Branches: Some branches get tangled up in other branches before completely falling and can cause extensive damage and injury when they do eventually fall. Do a thorough once-over to look for any hanging branches such as these. Just ensure you stand back from the tree to protect yourself from injuries.
2. Pick Up Any Debris That’s Easy to Remove
After taking stock of the damage and making any necessary calls, pick up any branches that have fallen to the ground. They may be on a sidewalk, driveway, or patio. Removing them clears a pathway for vehicles and foot traffic. If the branches are too heavy or are on top of a house or vehicle, wait for professional assistance.
Carefully prune out any damaged branches you can reach from the ground (do not climb a ladder to do this!). If you’re unsure how to do this and are worried about further injuring your tree or shrub, contact a professional pruning service.
WARNING: Always be cautious while working around snow- or ice-covered trees. The excess weight can cause branches to break without warning. If possible, wait until the snow or ice has melted. If you can’t wait until then, wear protective gear, including a hard hat. You don’t want to injure yourself during this process.
3. Wait for Warmer Weather for Further Action
This may be the hardest step to follow, but unless there is damage or an obstruction, waiting can be the best thing you can do for your landscape.
Most ice- and snow-covered trees will bounce back by the springtime. If they haven’t straightened themselves out, contact a professional arborist to assess the tree’s health. Some of the options an arborist may suggest include:
- Removal: If the damage is too severe, the only option may be to remove the tree.
- Corrective Pruning: Corrective pruning removes weak, dead, and broken branches. We recommend corrective pruning before spring to avoid opening up wounds for insects and diseases to enter.
- Rejuvenation Pruning: This type of pruning may work for some shrubs that suffered extensive damage. This involves cutting the shrub to the ground, but for some varieties, it works well.
What Not to Do for Your Trees in the Winter
While there are plenty of things we recommend you do to help your trees through the winter, there are also a few things to avoid doing. Some of our “don’ts” for winter tree care include:
- Don’t top a tree: Topping a tree is just what it sounds like – cutting the top of a tree off. This weakens the tree significantly and causes more pruning and health issues in the future.
- Don’t shake a tree or shrub covered with ice or snow: Doing so will often break branches, cause injury to the tree, and make the ice fall, which can injure you or others nearby. Don’t hit the tree with anything either, as this can cause the limbs to break. · Don’t use salt or ice melt products near your plants or trees: These products can seep into the ground and injure or kill your plants and trees.
- Don’t spray branches with water to try to melt ice or snow: The water you spray will turn to ice and worsen the situation.
- Don’t use power tools: Avoid using power tools to try and cut an ice-covered tree that fell. The ice will make it extremely slippery and dangerous.
Frequently Asked Questions About Protecting Your Trees This Winter
Are there trees and shrubs that are more likely to be injured by winter storms?
Yes. Heavy snow loads or ice can more negatively affect fast-growing trees with soft wood. These include:
- Elm
- Birch
- Poplar
- Silver maple
- Willow trees
- Bradford pear
- Callery pear
Any kind of deciduous tree that hasn’t yet lost its leaves will be the hardest hit by snow and ice storms. Early storms can, therefore, cause the most damage.
Evergreen shrubs such as juniper, yew, and arborvitae are prone to split from heavy snow or ice, and tall arborvitae hedges will dramatically lean from the added weight.
Does the cold weather harm trees?
If a tree is hardy in the Front Range (see our recommended trees here), it should be fine even in low temperatures. Trees aren’t affected by wind chill either, so while we may feel colder when the winter wind blows, trees that have adapted to this climate typically don’t mind.
What is the danger of temperature fluctuations in the winter?
Frost cracks occur when a tree “bursts” open in winter due to extreme temperature swings. It happens more often in young trees or trees with thinner bark, such as honeylocust, linden, and maple trees. Frost cracks can occur on any tree whose trunk faces direct sunlight during the winter.
Although it doesn’t kill the tree, a frost crack can weaken it and act as an entry point for insect and disease problems.
Do temperature swings affect non-native trees as well?
Temperature swings are also problematic for non-native trees (even if they’re supposedly hardy in the Front Range area) and those grown in out-of-state nurseries or at lower elevations. For example, although there are many Siberian elms planted throughout our area, they don’t respond well to the temperature fluctuations we often see, which is why many are unhealthy, stressed, and don’t look very good.
LAM Tree Service Can Help Protect Your Trees This Winter
Trees should be able to handle many stressors of winter on their own. However, just like us, sometimes they need a little bit of help. Proactive measures like pruning weak branches, removing dangerous trees, and wrapping your trees can protect them in the winter. When disaster strikes, you can help your tree along as best as possible or let a professional handle the job.
Our team has the professional knowledge and experience to clean up damage or prepare your trees for the stress of Jefferson County winters. Call us today at 303-674-8733 or request an estimate online.
