Tree wrapping, why you should protect trees for the winter

SALT LAKE CITY — With winter approaching, many people are not aware that the trunks in young trees and thin-barked trees in your yard are vulnerable to extreme winter conditions, and could benefit from extra protection.

Taun Beddes, host of KSL Greenhouse created a video to show how to best take care of our trees and keep them healthy during the winter.

Wrapping your tree

There are three types of tree wraps, generally made of polypropylene fabric, paper, and burlap. They are long thin strips that wrap around the trunk of the tree to protect them from environmental hazards.

Taun explains why wrapping protects trees. “The reason we do this, is that during the winter, the sun hits the trunk… and it causes the bark on the trunk to heat up… you get sap flow that freezes and at night the cells that have sap in them freeze and expand… this burst the conductive tissue in the tree.”

When the tissue burst, it exposes bare wood, which can have many negative effects on the health of the tree. It makes it more susceptible to pests and diseases, slows the growth rate, and it increases the chances that you will have to replace the tree.

Alternatives to tree wrapping

You can also use water-based latex paint to protect your tree, and diluted it 1-to-1 with water. There are also ready-to-go paint bucket options at some stores, but you can buy a regular can and dilute it.

According to Taun, this is often not the most popular choice, “people don’t like this as much sometimes because the paint stays on the trees for a couple of years”. Ornamental trees might not look great painted, but food-producing trees can benefit.

You can also listen to our latest podcast for more tips on tree wrapping.

The KSL Greenhouse is on every Saturday from 8-11 a.m. You can follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.