Getting trees ready for winter storms

Most winter tree damage comes from weight: ice coating every twig, or wet snow piling up in the crown. Branches that were already weak are the ones that fail.

Why branches fail in winter

Ice can multiply the weight a branch carries, and wet snow does the same on conifers and dense crowns. Add wind and the load goes up again. Healthy, well-attached branches bend. Dead branches, cracked limbs and weak unions, where two stems grow tightly together with bark trapped between them, are the ones most likely to break.

What to check in fall

Walk around your trees after the leaves drop, when the structure is easy to see. Look for:

• Dead branches and hangers, broken limbs still caught in the crown.
• Limbs over the roof, driveway or where people walk.
• Cracks in the trunk or in large limbs, and splits at unions.
• Tight V-shaped unions between large stems.
• A lean that’s new, or soil lifting on one side of the base.

The branches that fail in an ice storm are usually the ones that were already weak.

Pruning before winter

Removing deadwood and cutting back limbs that overhang the roof are good fall jobs. Once the leaves are down, most trees are heading into dormancy, which is a good time for structural pruning too. Heavy weight on a long limb can be reduced, and a weak union can sometimes be supported with a cable. A cable needs to be installed and checked by an arborist.

Branches near wires

Never prune near power lines yourself. Branches near the main lines along the street are your electricity utility’s responsibility, so contact them. For the service line from the pole to your house, talk to the utility or a qualified arborist before anyone works near it.

Young trees and conifers

Water trees well in fall, before the ground freezes, especially newly planted trees and conifers, which keep losing water through their needles all winter. A ring of mulch helps protect the roots. Upright shrubs and small conifers that splay under snow can be loosely tied for the winter.

After a storm

• Stay clear of downed wires, and anything touching them. Call the utility.
• Don’t shake ice off branches. Frozen wood is brittle and can snap. Let it melt.
• Gently brush heavy snow off small trees and shrubs from below, if you can reach safely.
• Don’t climb ladders with a saw to deal with broken limbs. Hanging branches can shift without warning.
• Have damaged trees looked at before deciding they need to come down. Many recover with good pruning.

This is general information. Every tree and site is different. For advice on a specific tree, get a free quote or book a Certified Arborist Assessment.

About the author

Jason Korkidakis

Jason is Koala Tree’s Owner and Lead Arborist in London, ON. He leads an 8-person crew and assesses trees for homeowners, condo boards and property managers.

ISA Certified Arborist ON-3263ATRAQ qualifiedPPQ qualified

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