How to Winter Wrap Tree Trunks
Young trees or trees that are not completely winter-hardy should be protected, particularly where winters are harsh or where temperatures fluctuate widely during winter months. Winter trunk wraps are good ideas for trees where small rodents and other animals depend on tree bark above the snow line for winter food. There are, however, times when tree wraps can do more harm than good. Learn to use trunk winter wraps properly and you can protect your trees against winter without wasting time, money and effort. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Tree wrap
- Wrap or duct tape
- Scissors
- Guy wires for very fragile young trees
Instructions
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Wrap recently planted young trees or transplants that may not be completely hardy after the first hard freeze of the year, any time from late October through November, depending on your growing zone. Two major reasons to wrap trunks are to protect them from "sunscald" (the tendency of bark to split because of the heat of the sun on exposed sides of trees on cold winter days) and winter frostbite of young tree bark. Trunks may also be wrapped but can more effectively be protected against winter feeding by rodents with a wire mesh extending two to three inches into the ground and 18 to 24 inches above the expected snow line.
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Use commercial tree wrap made of corrugated paper or other composition materials, not burlap or black plastic. Most commercial wrap is gray but if yours has two sides, wrap with the white side out to reflect heat and cold. Begin wrapping at the bottom of the trunk as close to the ground as you can.
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Wrap around the trunk, overlapping as you go. Wrap to the first or second "structural" branch (the branches that grow at---and define---the base of the crown of the tree). Wrap around any small branches and guide wires on the trunk. Wait until late winter to prune these "branchlets"; cutting them now will open wounds that may lose water during winter when the tree needs it desperately. Secure ends with tape, never wire, rope or garden twist ties.
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Remove the tree wrap as early as the ground begins to warm in the spring in climates where winters are bitterly cold to avoid trapped moisture that may contribute to mold and virus growth or provide a breeding area for insects. Where winters are warm or the wrap is used to deter marauding rodents, loosen the wrap along the bark to provide air circulation.
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Tips & Warnings
Use plastic collars and wire sleeves designed to prevent damage by animals for young trees. These protectors fit around, not on tree trunks. Their bases should sit below the soil line if possible--definitely below the snow line.
Use tree wraps designed to prevent sunscald and freeze damage. Dark materials, plastic bags and burlap may increase the damage to your tree, not protect it.
