Michigan winters test trees in a way summer storms do not. A quarter inch of ice can add enormous weight to a canopy, and it lands on limbs that are already stiff and brittle from the cold.
Which trees take it worst
Species with fine, dense branching and soft wood carry the most ice for their strength: silver maple, birch, willow, elm and white pine. Evergreens with multiple leaders, arborvitae especially, splay open under snow load and often do not spring back.
Oaks and sugar maples generally come through better, which is a good argument for what to plant next.
What to do with a loaded limb
Leave it alone. The strong temptation is to knock the ice or snow off, and that is how limbs get broken. Frozen wood is brittle, and hitting a loaded branch with a broom or rake snaps what the ice alone might not have. Let it thaw.
The exception is fresh, heavy snow on a flexible evergreen, which can be brushed upward gently with a broom before it sets.
After the ice comes off
Walk the property and look for cracks at unions, limbs that are bent but still attached, and hangers caught in the canopy. A bent evergreen may recover on its own over the season, or may need tying and support. A cracked union will not heal.
Salt and plow damage
Trees along the road and the end of the driveway take a beating from salt spray and plow contact. Symptoms turn up in spring: brown needles on the road side of evergreens, dieback on the exposed side of deciduous trees. Rinsing salt from foliage after heavy spray and keeping mulch over the root zone both help.
Why winter is good for tree work
Frozen ground carries equipment with far less rutting, bare canopies make structure easy to read, and disease pressure is at its lowest. It is a good season to book removals and structural pruning that would tear up a lawn in April.
Common Questions
Should I knock snow off my trees?
Fresh snow on a flexible evergreen can be brushed upward gently. Never hit ice loaded branches. Frozen wood is brittle and breaks from the impact.
My arborvitae splayed open under snow. Can it be saved?
Often yes. Once the load is off it may recover, and tying the leaders together loosely can help. Stems that have cracked at the base will not.
Is winter a good time for tree work?
It is one of the best. Frozen ground carries equipment with far less damage to the lawn, structure is visible with the leaves down and disease pressure is low.
Get a Free Estimate
If a storm has left limbs hanging, do not wait for a thaw to get them down. Tip Top Timber Co. is based in Armada and works throughout Macomb County, St. Clair County and the surrounding area. Call (586) 651-5488 or send us a message for a free estimate. If a tree is already down, our 24 hour line is (586) 651-4552.
