Problems for Trees during the Winter in Candler, NC
The extreme low temperatures, brutal winds, and harsh precipitation of the winter cause a great deal of stress on our trees every winter. Research has shown that even trees that have been a part of extremely cold environments continue to have trouble dealing with them today. The fact is there is very little we can do to control how the winter affects our trees. Here we will discuss some of the problems facing trees during the winter.
During the winter they night is marginally colder than the daytime. This constant shifting between temperatures leads to a condition in trees called frost cracking. This dangerous symptom occurs when the freezing and re-melting of cracks over and over leads to their expansion over time until they are large open wounds. Another considerable problem is overall growth of trees during a late growth cycle. If a tree enters its growth cycle late so that it coincides with the winter, valuable parts of the tree such as branches will be frozen off. This creates problems for them in actual growth season’s months down the road.
In the winter, drought is a huge problem. The ground becomes frozen, compact, and covered in a thick layer of snow and ice. This prevents water from reaching the roots of the tree. This delays growth later, and leads to the premature dying of cells, or the use of too much stored energy.