Does it seem as if winter here in Colorado is already over? Warm temperatures and dry stretches certainly make it feel that way. Never fear, though; we all know we’ll be getting periods of snow and cold until May at least. Here are some highlights on winter and early spring care for your trees:
MULCH: If you haven’t mulched yet, don’t think it’s too late! Mulch insulates delicate feeder roots, improves soil structure, and prevents erosion at any time of year.
FRUIT TREE MAINTENANCE: As we know, April and May’s snowstorms often follow warm weather periods – this promotes bud swelling and potential fruit and flower production, and late spring cold snaps can often stunt the new growth. Consider covering very young saplings with a clear plastic sheeting that allows warm sunlight to penetrate, but keeps out the cold. For very young saplings of all types, also consider protective trunk wraps – found at your local garden center along with plastic sheeting.
PRUNING: Winter is definitely the premier time to prune! If you haven’t had your mature fruit trees trimmed yet, do so before their dormant period ends – apple trees, in particular, cannot be trimmed of fire blight during any other period, so if it isn’t taken care of now, you’ll have fire blight all year long. Also, structural pruning now can help with snow buildup during the heavy, branch-breaking snows of later spring. Click here to schedule a free estimate on trimming and any other tree services.
For more tips and information, download these free printable information sheets from highlandsranch.org.
