The new year brings many things with it – a time to reflect, give thanks but also to take an all-important breather in order to prepare for the things yet to come. For trees – it marks the beginning of the cold season for your landscape and as such, this week’s post is dedicated to sharing with you a quick of fast-acting fixes before the harsh weather truly begins to set in.
Believe it or not- the winter weather has many similar effects on the trees in your yard the same way the cold has on your own body. Your lips get chapped, your skin dries up… it’s that cold, dry air that sucks the moisture and protection from your skin.
Even though trees have a protective layer of tough bark, they’re also not immune to this unique form of dehydration. In fact, the more prone your trees are to wanton dehydration, the more at risk they become for damage, infections and the like. In the most extreme cases, one, harsh winter can be all that is needed to kill a tree altogether.
Fortunately, we have a preventative, kind-of quick fix solution to this issue called ‘anti-transpirants.’
In the winter, your trees go through a process called ‘transpiration’ where water is released through the foliage and into the surrounding environment. When trees are properly hydrated, this process is balanced by the uptake in water that they can absorb through the ground. When cold weather disrupts this uptake, the whole process can be thrown off-kilter, as there’s less water to be taken from the ground.
Anti-transpirants help to normalize this process. Especially in the case of newer, younger trees – you can apply these treatments in the winter months much the same way you do in the dry summer months and in the process – mitigate much of the damage that can potentially be done.
In addition to protecting your trees from the elements and their after-effects, they can also protect trees from other, more man-made issues like salt burn from ice-clearing agents projected into the environment by sidewalk salt, salt dumped from plows and the like. By simply applying this protective film, they help reduce what we call stomatal openings and increases the foliage’s resistance to water vapor without negatively impacting carbon dioxide uptake. And even better – they can be applied to virtually any tree – whether the foliage blossoms in the growing months or if they’re evergreen trees that maintain theirs throughout the seasons.
While you can use artificial chemicals like silicone oil, you can also use a variety of clean, natural waxes that can go a long way towards protecting your trees through those harsh winter months and giving them the best possible opportunity to thrive during prime growing season.
Like any application, they’re best deployed by calling a professional, so if you have questions or are interested in protecting your trees – give us a call and we can walk you through the process. Happy New Year!
Even though trees have a protective layer of tough bark, they’re also not immune to this unique form of dehydration. In fact, the more prone your trees are to wanton dehydration, the more at risk they become for damage, infections and the like. In the most extreme cases, one, harsh winter can be all that is needed to kill a tree altogether.
Fortunately, we have a preventative, kind-of quick fix solution to this issue called ‘anti-transpirants.’
In the winter, your trees go through a process called ‘transpiration’ where water is released through the foliage and into the surrounding environment. When trees are properly hydrated, this process is balanced by the uptake in water that they can absorb through the ground. When cold weather disrupts this uptake, the whole process can be thrown off-kilter, as there’s less water to be taken from the ground.
Anti-transpirants help to normalize this process. Especially in the case of newer, younger trees – you can apply these treatments in the winter months much the same way you do in the dry summer months and in the process – mitigate much of the damage that can potentially be done.
In addition to protecting your trees from the elements and their after-effects, they can also protect trees from other, more man-made issues like salt burn from ice-clearing agents projected into the environment by sidewalk salt, salt dumped from plows and the like. By simply applying this protective film, they help reduce what we call stomatal openings and increases the foliage’s resistance to water vapor without negatively impacting carbon dioxide uptake. And even better – they can be applied to virtually any tree – whether the foliage blossoms in the growing months or if they’re evergreen trees that maintain theirs throughout the seasons.
While you can use artificial chemicals like silicone oil, you can also use a variety of clean, natural waxes that can go a long way towards protecting your trees through those harsh winter months and giving them the best possible opportunity to thrive during prime growing season.
Like any application, they’re best deployed by calling a professional, so if you have questions or are interested in protecting your trees – give us a call and we can walk you through the process. Happy New Year!
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