A mild Northeast Ohio winter this year may have been easy on residents from Akron to Cleveland, but these unusual conditions can be hard on your trees. Vacillating El Nino weather conditions can lead to early growth during warm conditions, followed by plummeting temperatures that damage buds.
The extremes of winter 2024 may have caused considerable stress on trees, shrubs, and perennial plants. While mature healthy trees are typically resilient to changing weather cycles, it’s important to notice and address signs that your trees may need some extra care.
Consider the following:
- Extreme temperature changes and long warm spells can confuse the natural cycle of plants and trees, pulling them out of dormancy early.
- A frost or freeze can damage or kill branches along with early blooms.
- Plants and trees need pollinators to maintain reproduction cycles, many of which are not around during winter months, causing these cycles to be disrupted with potential long-term effects.
- Dry El Nino conditions mean trees starting early growth may also be dehydrated, leading to additional stress on growth.
Signs your trees are stressed
Healthy trees will likely get through unusual weather conditions and temperature fluctuations, but watching for signs of stress can allow you to provide them the boost they need to get the best results.
Look for the following signs your trees may be stressed:
- Needles on evergreens should stay green year-round. Needles that are browning may indicate wind or frost damage as well as dehydration.
- Deciduous trees that bud early may be showing signs of stress if those early leaves begin to brown.
- Excessive broken limbs may mean your trees have been damaged by heavy snow and ice. Weakened limbs will be more susceptible to late freezes.
- Splitting bark on the trunk and/or branches of your trees is sun-scald, which can happen when trees are warmed by afternoon sun and temperatures then drop back to freezing. Contact your arborist for tips on treating excessive bark splitting.
Taking steps in fall to protect trees and root systems by insulating them with a trunk wrap and mulch can make a big difference after an El Nino winter. For trees that have experienced stress, your local tree expert can offer suggestions to help get them through this period so they can thrive through the summer.
Keep the following in mind:
- If you have wrapped the trunks of your trees, be sure to remove them once spring temperatures have set in to prevent insect infestation.
- Mulch is critical to prevent tree roots from being exposed to cold as well as disease, but don’t mound the mulch up around the trunk of the tree.
- The biggest issue for trees this year is likely dehydration. Be sure to water thoroughly, but wait for the ground to be completely thawed to ensure the tree is beginning spring growth.
- Removing dead and dying branches is critical for the health of your tree and safety during wind and storms, however, general late winter pruning should be delayed if your trees are already beginning to bud. If your trees are already out of dormancy, discuss appropriate pruning with your local arborist.
If you have questions about the health of your trees or whether a tree should be removed from your yard, contact Linger’s Lumberjacks. Our team can provide expert pruning as well as tree cabling and other repairs that may save your damaged or stressed trees. For more information about all Linger’s tree services, stump grinding, and lot clearing services, click here.