Winter Treewrap
Posted on Tue, Jan 04, 2011
Winter is without a doubt the harshest time of the year on your landscape plants. Wrapping your trees and shrubs for winter can protect them from a number of problems which are unique to the winter months. As exposed vegetation, your trees and shrubs will undoubtedly attract animals such as deer and rabbits throughout the winter. Similarly, winter treewrap can keep the salt and other chemicals used to control ice during the winter from falling on them and causing damage. Wrapping trees can also provide a means of controlling their temperature.
While deer are perhaps the most famous of winter pests in New England, there are a number of critters that are eager to get at your trees and shrubs. With food harder to find, your plants which may have been safe during the summer, will undoubtedly attract some extra attention during the winter. Wrapping your trees and shrubs is an effective way to keep animals off.
As harmful as the ice can be to those of us who live in New England, the salt and other chemicals that we use to de-ice the areas around our homes can be just as harmful to our plants. Providing some cover to trees and shrubs can keep that harmful salt from damaging their bark or foliage, while still allowing you to prevent your driveway from becoming an ice rink.
While New England winters are famous for their cold temperatures, your plants know them best for the harmful fluctuations in temperature. While many of the plants that we have in our yards are capable of dealing with cold weather, the fluctuation between freezing and thawing conditions can cause significant damage both internally and externally. Providing a layer of cover for your trees and shrubs will help protect against damage caused throughout the plant as a result of repeatedly freezing during the night and then thawing once the sun is back.
For the little effort involved in providing some cover for your trees and shrubs during the winter, the amount of damage that you can prevent is considerable. There are numerous products available for protecting your plants, and for the small investment the payoff is certainly worth it.