Missouri Winter is Here

🌬️ Cold Temperatures Are Coming — Here’s How to Prepare Your Trees

As the temperatures begin to drop across Missouri, it’s time to start thinking about how the coming cold will affect your trees and landscape. At Fleming Trees, we believe proper preparation before winter hits can make all the difference between healthy, thriving trees in spring—or costly damage come thaw.

🧊 Why Cold Weather Can Be Hard on Trees

Freezing temperatures, snow, and wind can stress your trees in several ways:

• Root damage from repeated freeze-thaw cycles

• Bark splitting from sudden temperature swings

• Desiccation (drying out) due to cold winds

• Broken branches from heavy snow and ice buildup

Young, newly planted, or stressed trees are especially vulnerable, which makes fall and early winter care essential.

🌳 Winter Tree Care Tips

Here are a few simple but powerful steps to protect your trees before the deep cold sets in:

1. Mulch Around the Base – A fresh 2–3 inch layer of mulch helps insulate roots and retain moisture. Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot.

2. Water Before the Freeze – Moist soil holds heat better than dry soil. Give your trees a good deep watering before the ground freezes solid.

3. Prune Damaged Limbs – Remove dead or weak branches now to prevent ice-related breakage later.

4. Wrap Young Trunks – Use breathable tree wrap on thin-barked species like maple or birch to prevent sunscald and frost cracks.

5. Inspect for Pests and Disease – Winter is a good time to look for issues that could worsen in spring.

❄️ Need Professional Help?

Fleming Trees offers winter preparation, pruning, and emergency storm services throughout Franklin County and the St. Louis region. Whether you need to protect your investment or clean up after winter storms, our experienced team has the equipment and expertise to handle it safely and efficiently.