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Northern Nevada is known for cold and dry snaps in the winter and spring months. These fluctuations can cause damage to your trees, especially young and newly planted trees, which are most vulnerable to cold and dry weather.
Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition offers these easy-to-follow tips that can help your trees survive the next couple of months, and thrive when the weather warms.
- If your trees have not received water from Mother Nature for two to four weeks, it is time to provide some supplemental watering with a hose. Make sure you water when temperatures are above 40 degrees and early enough in the day that the water will not freeze, which can cause damage to the tree.
- Do not spray tree trunks with water in order to reduce the risk of frost injuries or winter burn.
- Help keep moisture in soil and regulate soil temperature by putting a three to four inch deep layer of organic mulch around your tree.
- Heavy snow on tree limbs should be removed to avoid breakage.
- If winter has a particularly warm day, consider deep root watering to break up the soil. Avoid fertilizing before spring, which can prematurely wake up the tree’s roots.
Maintaining the health of your trees, and keeping them adequately watered, is important year-round. If you have a tree condition of concern, use the Ask An Arborist forum at www.communityforestry.org for assistance. The Community Forestry Coalition’s website provides a wealth of information on tree care in the high desert climate of the Truckee Meadows.
The Mission of the Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition is to enhance the protection and preservation of the public and private community forest through education, research, conservation and collaborative policy development.
