3 Ways to Protect Your Trees From Harsh Winters

Cold weather usually brings out the de-icers like salt. We pour it on our driveways, sidewalks and roads to keep us safe and from slipping. The problem is that same salt can cause real damage when it comes to our trees and our entire landscape.

According to Better Homes and Gardens sodium chloride or rock salt is harmful to plants, vehicles and concrete, however, rock salt has increased in popularity over the last years.

Instead of using rock salt, consider using one of the following,

• Calcium chloride: This is a great option because it will melt the ice and cause less damage to your plants and trees than rock salt.
• Course sand
• Sawdust
• Kitty litter
• If rock salt is a must for you, consider mixing it with sand. The salt will melt the snow and the sand will keep the surface and sounding areas safe after the salt melts.

Remember that when choosing a de-icer, your goal is to dissolve the salt, stay safe, and protect the surrounding areas.

Wrapping your trees in burlap is a great way to protect them from the harsh de-icing agents we talked about above as well as the harsh winter snows and wind. Simply put four stakes around the tree and wrap them burlap around the circumference of the stakes.

In an article by Tree Help, they remind us that just because it is winter that doesn’t mean your trees no longer need water. What happens during the winter months is the ground freezes and the trees cannot absorb water. Here are two solutions to try,

1. Before late fall try layering organic mulch around the tree. Mulch helps the soil to retain moisture and keeps the soil warmer in the winter.
2. Install aeration tubes around your trees. The aeration tubes, Rootwell’s Pro318, are scientifically engineered to encourage deep root growth. The deeper the roots grow into warmer soil, the more likely the will find water during the winter droughts.