Well, ya see, in them cold winter months, the poor little arborvitae trees sure do need some help to make it through. Ain’t no secret that winter can be tough on ’em. If you ain’t careful, the cold, snow, and them harsh winds can mess ’em up real good. So, let me tell ya how to take care of them trees and make sure they stay nice and healthy till spring comes back.
1. Wrap ‘Em Up Good
The first thing ya gotta do is wrap them little trees up tight. You can use burlap, or even them fancy tree wraps that some folks got. It ain’t too hard, just start at the bottom of the tree and wrap your way up to the top, makin’ sure the branches stay together and don’t get all messed up in the snow. The wrap helps keep the snow from weighin’ down on the branches and breakin’ ’em, plus it’ll stop them cold winds from burnin’ up the leaves. Don’t forget, snow and ice can really hurt the poor things, so this step is real important.
2. Keep the Deer Away
Now, if ya live in a place where deer like to roam, you gotta be extra careful. Deer love nibblin’ on them arborvitaes, especially when the snow’s deep and food is scarce. So, that burlap or tree wrap will help keep them critters at bay. They don’t like the rough texture, so they’ll leave your trees alone. If the deer are real bad, you might even wanna put up a little fence around ’em. Ain’t no shame in keepin’ the deer from eatin’ your trees!
3. Protect From Frost and Wind
The cold wind in winter can really do a number on your arborvitae. Them freezing gusts can burn the leaves, and that’ll turn ‘em all brown or yellow. To stop that, you can put up a windbreak or some kinda barrier to keep the worst of the wind off. A burlap screen can help block the wind. Just make sure it ain’t too tight or the tree won’t get any air! You don’t want it suffocatin’ in there, you know.
4. Water ‘Em Right
Now, I know it’s cold out, but don’t forget about watering your arborvitae. I ain’t talkin’ about watering ‘em every day like in the summer, though. That’s too much. But, once a week, or whenever the soil ain’t froze, give ’em a good deep soak. This helps keep the tree from gettin’ too stressed, especially if the snow’s been light and you ain’t got much rain. But remember, deep waterin’ is best. Just a little drink here and there won’t do much.
5. Keep an Eye on ‘Em
Even though them arborvitaes are tough, you still gotta keep an eye on ’em through the winter. If you see any signs of browning or damage from the cold, it’s time to step in and do somethin’. Don’t wait too long. And make sure you take the wraps off once the weather warms up so your tree can start to breathe again and get ready for the spring!
6. Prune When Necessary
Sometimes, you might need to prune the tree a little bit. Don’t go cuttin’ too much, but if there’s any dead or damaged branches, snip ‘em off. This’ll help the tree stay healthy and strong for the next year. You don’t want no dead wood sittin’ on your tree, it’ll just cause problems down the line.
7. Choose the Right Arborvitae
If you ain’t already got an arborvitae, then it’s a good idea to pick one that’s hardy in your area. Some of them are more sensitive to the cold than others. So, if you’re livin’ somewhere real cold, get yourself one of them hardy varieties that can take the winter better. It’ll save ya a lot of work in the long run.
So there ya have it, folks. It ain’t all that hard to protect your arborvitae in the winter. Just a little care and attention, and them trees’ll make it through the cold months just fine. Ain’t no need to let the winter beat ‘em up when you can help ‘em out!
Tags:[Arborvitae Winter Protection, How to Protect Arborvitae, Winter Tree Care, Deer Protection for Arborvitae, Protect Trees from Wind, Watering Arborvitae in Winter]