Ah, yes.
The changing of the seasons from blistering summer into blissful autumn.
It’s the unifying chorus call of the pumpkin spice girlies, the chai latte enthusiasts, the sweater weather aficionados, the spooky season goblins, and Christmas songs all year long crew - because absolutely nothing is capable of bringing these groups together quite like a chill in the air and trees’ leaves turning from green to red.
But, if you’re a plant parent, the seasonal drop in temperature and leaves changing can be a bit stressful. The impending doom of uncertainty isn’t part of the most wonderful time of the year.
Let’s take some pressure off your back and get to the root of cold weather tree care.
Deciduous or Evergreen?
Before we jump into a care plan, take stock of your yard.
Some of your trees are evergreen, like cedar, spruce, fir, pine, and even the Southern Magnolia. Many evergreen trees are coniferous, meaning they produce cones, not flowers. They’ll keep their leaves all year, and besides watering them a little less, there’s not much to worry about for them.
Chances are most of your trees are deciduous, meaning they shed their leaves when the weather turns cold. Trees like oaks, maple, dogwood, birch, and some species of magnolia (Magnolia Ann’s, for example) are really common in the US.
Today, we’re focusing only on the care for deciduous trees. If you’re on the hunt for wintertime care for evergreen magnolias, we’ve got a great blog on that here.
Don’t Panic.
When your tree inevitably starts dropping its leaves, resist the urge to fix problems that don’t exist.
Don’t water it more, don’t throw a bunch of pesticides on it, and don’t start lopping off branches you think are dying (but are really just the first to lose their foliage).
Here’s what’s happening to your tree:
The change in temperature usually means the days are getting shorter. Remember, the whole point of your tree having leaves is so it can soak up sunlight and turn it into energy, which it uses to grow. Less sunlight means the tree has less energy to access.
On top of the shorter days, the drop in temperature means the tree has to work harder to support itself by spending more of its energy on maintenance, instead of growth.
Trees are smart. Rather than burning all of its energy on staying active in conditions that are really unfavorable, the tree just says “I’m clocking out.”
Your tree drops its leaves intentionally. The leaves weren’t able to bring in enough energy to justify the energetic cost of keeping them around when sunlight got scarce and the weather got cold. Now, the tree has cut its energy requirements in half because it doesn’t have to try and keep the leaves alive and fueled.
Leafless, the tree also stops growing above the soil. It doesn’t have enough energy for that, either.
The last source of energy the tree has available is the soil. Your tree has a complex root system that it sends out in all directions on the hunt for water and other nutrients in the soil. The little energy it has left gets invested in expanding the root ball.
When the leaves are gone and the tree is bare, we call it a “dormant” tree. It’s like you at the end of a long work week when you’re enjoying a couch potato weekend. You’re fine, but you’re chilling out to conserve some energy and recharge for the week ahead.
Is it dramatic? Totally.
But is the tree healthy? Yep, this is normal.
Spring comes in 6 months or so, and once again, the change in temperature causes the tree to wake up from its dormant state, and it’ll push out some fresh leaves to capitalize on ideal conditions.
Step One: Gradually Reduce Water
Your tree doesn’t drop all of its leaves all at once.
It happens a little at a time. If you’re used to watering your tree once a week, back off to once every two weeks when it’s got half the leaves it used to. When the tree is bare, try watering once every 3 weeks, or just relying on your area’s natural weather pattern to provide water.
Overwatering the tree in its dormant state won’t necessarily hurt it, but you’ll just be wasting water and money.
Step Two: Fertilize
Your tree could use a midnight snack of sorts. Get a slow release tree & shrub fertilizer from your local home improvement store.
These fertilizers are a little more expensive up front, but they’re extremely cost effective in the long run. They release a little bit of nutrients consistently over the course of 6 months, so rather than relying on one big meal, you’re giving your tree a stream of little snacks to keep it from getting nutrient starved.
These fertilizers also require less product than non-slow release fertilizers, so you use less AND you don’t need to reapply until spring. That’s great news for the environment!
Less work for you, more nutrients for the tree in a sustainable way. Everyone wins.
Step 3: Prune
Your tree handles pruning best when it’s dormant, so wait to do this until late winter.
Because the tree is “under,” you can be pretty assertive with the amount you prune. Remove dead branches, diseased branches, and branches you don’t want to keep growing. Take the opportunity to shape the tree in the way you like.
We also recommend removing a few branches from the densest parts of the tree, just so when the leaves come back, they all have room to grow and get sunlight. The airflow through the tree is an important factor in keeping it long term healthy.
Be careful not to leave your pruned growth scattered around the base of the tree. Pick it up and dispose of it properly, so it doesn’t trap water or spread disease to the tree while it’s vulnerable.
Step 4: Keep It Warm
If your tree is young and small, consider moving it to a warm location that’s shielded from harsh winds. Porches are great for this, as are side yards.
Mulch is also a good tool here. Remember, mulch traps water, so if you decide to mulch, really reduce your watering schedule.
You can also use tarps, moving blankets, and sheets around the trunk to help prevent frostbite.
No, it doesn’t look aesthetic. Your local HOA curmudgeons might gripe.
Yes, it will help keep your tree alive when the harshest winter conditions arrive. The ornery HOA complainers can deal with it for a couple months because a live tree is prettier than a dead one.
See? No biggie.
Your trees have gone through hundreds of thousands of years of evolution to adapt and survive the cold months.
Even a little bit of help goes a long way.
They’re going to be okay, just like you! You’ve got this!
