Ice is a quintessential part of a Rochester, MN, winter. Though the natural environment is well prepared for most of what Minnesota winters can offer, your home landscaping, particularly with significant quantities of ice, is less flexible. Luckily, our tree health experts at Maier Tree and Lawn are trained to answer all of your winter tree care questions, even if you’re struggling with an icy tree challenge.
Some trees are better at handling winter weather than others, but that doesn’t mean these trees are immune to the tree health risks that ice can pose. Ice damage can come in the form of cracks, bark damage, and broken branches from excess weight. It also may not occur overnight, but instead over the course of several days or even weeks. If your property is largely unprotected and annually experiences high levels of wind and ice, you may want to consider preventative tree health measures.
Trying to tend to your compromised tree manually can be a fast way to make an ice problem worse. Part of becoming effective at winter tree care is knowing when to intervene and when to let nature be nature. However, if ice or snow has damaged your tree in such a way that it now poses a threat to your home or property, then intervention is definitely recommended. This means that a branch or tree is in danger of falling, and in such a case, a professional pruning or tree removal team should be contacted. Trying to prune an otherwise undamaged tree yourself may do more harm than good, along with putting you in danger.
Winter tree care and dormant tree care is difficult in general because it’s hard to judge when you should step in and when you should just wait for a good thaw. Hardy transplanted trees, young trees, and native spruces can all suffer during excessively icy weather, and it can be tough for homeowners unfamiliar with the intricacies of tree health to know when a tree is in trouble or simply bearing down for winter. When in doubt, consulting a tree health professional is an excellent first step.
Winter tree care may be fairly hands off for homeowners, but we have the tools necessary to intervene when one of your trees is at risk. If you’re concerned that your Rochester, MN, trees are in danger of winter damage, consult with one of our tree health professionals today. Contact Maier Tree and Lawn for additional information at (507) 286-8733 or by visiting our website here.
