It is a common misconception that trees just sleep when they are dormant for the winter. The reality is that they are quite busy with protecting themselves as they prepare for dormancy and cold temperatures. Trees recognize it is time to prepare when the days get shorter and the night temperatures begin dipping lower. Their first action is to ditch the leaves so they can retain as much water as possible to get through the dry winter.
The water inside the tree is stored differently heading into winter. It is purged from inside the tree’s cells to be around the cells so that there isn’t water inside that can freeze and damage the tree. In the winter, when the water surrounding the cells freezes, it creates a bit of heat that further protects the cells and allows them to build up proteins, sugars, and fats that also protect the tree. Your trees don’t need much in the way of help to get through this dormancy period. They’ve done it for thousands of years. However, some trees will find themselves unable to recover from a winter storm. If you don’t want this to happen with the trees on your property, you’ll want to help them be as strong as possible. Tree services to prune off dead or diseased branches will help with that.
The ideal time for pruning to protect your tree from winter conditions is after the leaves have fallen, but before there is an ice storm or snow. Call on us at Hudson Tree Services to prepare your trees for winter’s wrath so that when it is time to wake up in the spring, your trees can be filled with glorious foliage again. Call today to learn about our various tree services.