What To Do For Apple Trees in Winter?

It’s never too early to learn about winter care for apple trees, even in the middle of summer when winter seems far off. To guarantee crisp fruit the next growing season, you should tend to your apples during the winter. Care for winter apple trees starts long before winter comes. You can take actions in the summer and fall to facilitate apple winter protection. To find out more about caring for apple trees in the winter, keep reading.

Winter Protection for Apples

With their frothy blossoms in the spring, their foliage and fruit in the summer, and their mature apples in the fall, apple trees are stunning throughout the year. Winter apples have a calm, bleak beauty.

The entire year-round cycle is fueled by proper winter care. Your apple tree needs assistance getting ready for the colder months, regardless of how well it can withstand the cold. Apples are already headed toward proper winter protection if they receive the right care in the summer and fall. When the chilly season begins, they will be more resilient and ready for the next growing season. Making sure the trees get enough water and nutrients from summer to fall is an important first step. While deep watering during the growing season encourages long apple tree roots that are more resilient to ice damage, water stress weakens trees. For more robust apples in the winter, fertilize your apple trees early in the summer. Because the new growth is more vulnerable to winter cold, avoid feeding trees in the fall. It also helps clean up orchards in the fall. Pick up any fallen fruit and leaves with a rake. Additionally, trim the grass between and beneath the apple trees. Insects and rodents can both find a home in high grass.

Maintenance of Apple Trees in the Winter

In colder climates, you will also need to assist the trees. Compare your current temperature to the cold tolerance of your apple tree. This should ideally be done prior to the tree being planted in your garden. You cannot leave a tree outside in the winter if it is not hardy in your climate.

There is still winter maintenance to think about, assuming the tree can withstand the cold weather. Apply white latex paint to the trunk’s south-facing side after the bark has frozen. This keeps the bark from thawing on the sunny side of the tree, which can cause cracking. Keeping rodents away from the trunk is one of the other maintenance duties for apple trees. Cover the trunk with plastic or wire netting from the ground up to three feet (1 meter). Do apples need to be pruned in the winter? Early winter pruning increases the risk of winter injury, so avoid doing so. Instead, wait until at least February or March to prune apples during the winter. Late in the dormant season is the ideal time to prune. Eliminate diseased, dead, and damaged trees. Additionally, cut off any branches or water sprouts that are crossing. Cutting tall branches back to lateral buds will help you lower the tree’s height if it is becoming too tall.