How Can Snow Damage My Trees

If you have ever looked at a tree and wonder how snow can damage trees, here’s the truth: excess snow can destroy trees by splitting and breaking them, causing them to uproot or fall.

Most arborists will tell you that snow is both a friend and foe of trees. Snow creates plenty of damage. However, in many instances, it also safeguards plants and their roots from high fluctuations in temperature that could destroy or kill them.

If trees will be harmed in one of these ways is contingent on numerous factors. For example, coniferous evergreens can handle more snow weight than broadleaf evergreens. The glitter of snow brings a unique beauty to the chilly winter temps of York. The same snow that brings elegance to winter can also be possibly lethal to your trees by putting more strain on their branches.

What to Do About the Snow on Your Trees

Because of this added strain, it is smart to remove the heavy snow that collects on your trees before it freezes and deforms or breaks the limbs. To do so, gently raise the branches upward with a sturdy pole or broom, shaking the snow off. If the snow has already frozen on the branches, you should wait until the temperature goes above freezing. If you attempt to remove frozen snow from your trees can do more harm than good.

Trees with horizontal branching are less susceptible to snow damage. Most conifers, like pine, spruce, juniper, and yew, have flexible limbs and are tailored to shedding snow before it gets so heavy that it snaps branches.

However, multi-stem trees and those with slim upright branching can get genuinely hurt when weighty accumulations pull limbs apart. Sometimes, tying the stems of such trees together can diminish winter damage. But prevention is a more suitable approach. Accurately prune and maintain your trees so that they grow strong limbs that withstand winter injury.

Once the snow has melted, inspect the damage. If over half of a tree’s branches are destroyed, the tree is very unlikely to recover and should be cut down. The more big limbs are broken, the less likely the tree is to recover. Contact Syracuse Tree Care to discuss pruning or removal of damaged trees on your property.

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