Ways to Protect Trees From Frost & High Winds
Young trees that have not had time to harden against cold temperatures are susceptible to frost damage even if the species is cold hardy. Trees with new spring growth or fruit trees with early blooms or fruit can be damaged by a late spring freeze. Winds are especially damaging to trees with large or heavy branches. You can't stop destructive weather, but there are ways to keep it from harming the trees in your landscape, or to minimize the damage to new growth.
A frost cloth placed over a small tree when a frost is expected will protect the tree from damage. The cloth should be placed over the top of the tree like a bonnet, covering the top half of the tree. The cloth edges can be taped around the trunk of the tree, or tied to the lower branches. Covers can also be used to keep high winds from blowing blooms from fruit trees. Remove the cloth when the dangerous weather has passed.
Protect trees from seasonal high winds using windbreaks already in the landscape. Plant trees near buildings, high walls or other trees that will block wind from reaching the tree. Planting on a sunny, sheltered side of a building can also keep the tree warmer during freezes. If there are no windbreaks available, make a screen using burlap. Attach the burlap to poles that you can stick into the ground near the tree when winds are expected. Remove the screen and store it when it is not needed.
Proper pruning of trees will provide protections from wind damage. Branches that begin to droop under their own weight should be cut back to a length that the tree can carry. Branches that have less than a 45-degree crotch angle or cross over other branches should also be removed as these branches are weaker and more likely to break in high winds. Dead or damaged branches should also be removed for the same reason. Prune most trees during the dormant period before new spring growth begins. Spring-flowering trees should be pruned immediately after the flowers fall.
Water, Fertilizer and Heat
Keep trees well-watered in the fall, not just in the spring and summer. Trees with water stress are more likely to be injured by a frost. Water the tree the day before a frost is expected, thoroughly wetting the soil. Do not fertilize trees with nitrogen after July to keep them from putting out new growth that is more likely to be damaged by a frost. A string of lights hung in the tree canopy will provide some heat to protect the tree if a light frost is expected.
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System: Principles of Freeze Protection for Fruit Crops
- University of Vermont Extension: Protecting Trees and Shrubs From Cold
- Dave Wilson Nursery: Fruit Trees -- Problems and Solutions!
- University of Minnesota Extension: Protecting Trees and Shrubs Against Winter Damage
- Sunset: Frost and Freeze Protection
- California Rare Fruit Growers: Backyard Frost Protection
Jill Kokemuller has been writing since 2010, with work published in the "Daily Gate City." She spent six years working in a private boarding school, where her focus was English, algebra and geometry. Kokemuller is an authorized substitute teacher and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Iowa.