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As a homeowner who cares deeply about your trees, you probably hear a lot of talk about dormant season tree care. But unfortunately, a lot of tips shared online are overstated or even outright incorrect, which can lead to mistakes involving the care of your trees.
To help you understand which dormant season tree care tips matter and which ones don’t, we’ll share some of the advice we provide to our clients and explain the reasoning for each.
Five Things You Should Do for Your Trees During the Dormant Season
To begin, we’ll examine a few of the care and maintenance practices you should conduct during the winter dormant season.
1. Schedule Structural or Corrective Pruning
There are a number of reasons that pruning is best scheduled during the winter, especially for deciduous trees. For example:
- The branch structure is much easier to see when the leaves aren’t present
- Many common fungal pathogens and insect vectors are inactive during the dormant season
- Most trees experience less stress when pruned during the dormant season
- Cuts can begin compartmentalizing before growth begins in the spring
So, if you have a young tree in need of structural pruning or a mature tree that hasn’t been pruned in the last three years, winter is the ideal time to schedule this work.
2. Conduct a Tree Risk Assessment
If you have a tree that’s displaying signs that it may be hazardous, winter is often a fantastic time to have it assessed by a certified arborist. This way, the arborist can clearly see the tree’s structure and form, allowing for a more accurate assessment.
So, if your tree presents any of the following signs, consider scheduling a formal risk assessment during the dormant season:
- Cavities or hollows
- Cracks or splits in the trunk or primary branches
- A significant or worsening lean
- Disturbances in the soil surrounding the tree
- Previous branch drop during the active season
3. Prune Fruit Trees
While it is easier to visualize any deciduous tree’s form during the dormant season, winter serves as an especially wise time to prune fruit trees. Doing so will allow more air to flow through the canopy (which may help prevent fungal problems, such as anthracnose), increase the amount of sunlight reaching all portions of the tree, and often encourage stronger fruit production.
Just note that different fruit tree species should be pruned in slightly different ways and even at different times. This is another reason it’s important to partner with a team of arborists you can trust.
4. Protect Young or Vulnerable Trees
Winter can be hard on trees in Southeast Michigan, and some — especially young or weakened individuals — will require protection from the elements. So, you may want to take a few key steps, including:
- Applying a 2- to 4-inch-thick layer of organic mulch above the root zone. This is an easy way to protect the roots from temperature extremes and retain soil moisture. Just be sure that you don’t pile mulch against the trunk, as this can encourage decay to develop.
- Installing trunk guards to protect the trunk from rodent damage. Rodents often wound young trees by feeding on their inner bark during the winter, but high-quality trunk protection will usually keep your trees safe. Just make sure that you remember to remove them in the spring to prevent them from damaging the growing trunk.
- Providing supplemental water if the soil is dry. Even during the winter, trees will appreciate long, deep, slow soaks on a periodic basis. But because you don’t want to do this after the ground freezes, this is an important step to carry out early in the winter.
5. Plan Major Tree Work Before Spring Rush
Winter is also a great time for major projects, such as tree removal. The tree’s health is obviously not a factor in these scenarios, but it will provide a number of attractive benefits.
For example, because the ground will likely be frozen at times, your landscape will suffer less damage from heavy equipment. It’s also one of the most affordable times of year to have tree-care services completed, as crews are generally not very busy during this part of the year.
Additionally, by handling these kinds of jobs during the winter, you can eliminate potentially hazardous trees before the spring storms arrive.
Three Things You Don’t Need to Do for Your Trees During the Dormant Season
Now that you understand some of the things that are helpful to schedule during the winter, we can turn our attention to a few things that needn’t necessarily be scheduled while your trees are dormant.
1. Don’t Fertilize Unless There’s a Proven Deficiency
Though some tree-care companies may recommend fertilizing during the winter, this is typically not necessary unless you’ve identified a specific soil deficiency at play. Fertilizer uptake is incredibly slow and inefficient during this time of year, especially when the ground is frozen.
2. Don’t “Top” Trees
Let’s be clear: Topping trees is harmful in most cases (there are a few rare exceptions), and this is true regardless of the time of year in which it’s performed. If you have a tree that’s outgrowing the space available, you typically have two basic options:
- Have it removed and replaced with a species that’s more appropriate for the area.
- Have a “crown reduction” performed to reduce the canopy’s size without harming the tree’s health.
Both of these options are, however, best scheduled during the winter.
3. Don’t Panic Over Bare Branches
Unfortunately, some homeowners tend to overreact when they see bare branches during the winter. But it’s completely normal for deciduous trees to shed their leaves during the winter.
If you’d like a little reassurance that your trees are still healthy, you can examine the twigs carefully. Over the course of the winter (especially toward the end of the season), you should see tons of healthy buds.
However, there is sometimes cause for concern if your tree begins shedding leaves long before the rest of your trees (particularly other members of the same species) do. If you notice the leaves dropping in the early fall or before they change colors, contact a certified arborist for help.
Dormant Season Tree Care: FAQ
Still have questions about the dos and don’ts of dormant season tree care? We’ve rounded up a few of the most common questions our clients have and answered them below.
What is the dormant season for trees in Michigan?
The dormant season in Michigan is typically between mid-November and mid-March, but it can vary slightly from year to year and from one species to the next.
Do trees grow during the dormant season in Michigan?
Most trees do not actively grow during the dormant season. Buds are formed during the previous growing season and remain dormant through the winter, though they may begin to swell as temperatures warm in late winter. Root growth can continue slowly if soil temperatures remain above freezing.
When is the best time to prune trees in Michigan?
Most trees should be pruned during the winter in Michigan. This will allow them to effectively compartmentalize the wounds produced and also give the arborist the best opportunity to see the tree’s form.
Is winter really safer for tree removal?
Because dormant deciduous trees lack leaves, the tree’s canopy will weigh less and provide better visibility to arborists working in the tree. Given these factors, winter is generally considered the safest time of year for tree removal. It also provides budgetary benefits, as tree work is generally most affordable during the winter.
Can trees die from cold temperatures alone?
Yes, some trees may die if exposed to extremely cold temperatures. The exact temperature at which this will occur varies depending on the hardiness zone the tree is rated for.
Should I water my trees in winter?
Yes, as long as the ground is not frozen, it is helpful to water your trees periodically, just as you’d do during the rest of the year.
How do I know if a tree is dead or just dormant?
One of the easiest ways to tell if a tree is dead or merely dormant is by looking for buds.
Trust Longtree Tree Service for Your Dormant Season Tree-Care Needs
No matter what kind of care your trees need this winter, you can rely on the professionals at Longtree Tree Service to provide them with the support they need. Led by an ISA-certified arborist and dedicated to providing unmatched customer service, our team will be happy to carry out the risk assessments, pruning, or removal work required.
We’ve been serving homeowners and commercial property managers across Southeast Michigan since 2019, and we’ve built a reputation for being the tree-care company Michiganders can trust. Contact us now to schedule your free consultation and estimate.
Sources & References
- Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service – “Winterize Your Trees (FNR-484-W)”
Extension publication from Purdue University’s Forestry & Natural Resources explaining best practices for winter tree care, including limiting pruning of green wood before winter to preserve plant energy and overall health.
https://extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-484-w.pdf - Michigan State University Extension – “Tips on tree and shrub pruning”
Educational article from Michigan State University Extension outlining fundamental pruning techniques, timing considerations, and tool recommendations for maintaining the health and appearance of trees and shrubs.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/tips_on_tree_and_shrub_pruning - Arbor Day Foundation – “Arborist Advice: Why Should You Prune Your Trees During the Dormant Season?”
Guidance from the Arbor Day Foundation emphasizes the benefits of pruning during a tree’s dormant season for health, structure, safety, and long-term landscape value.
https://www.arborday.org/perspectives/arborist-advice-why-should-you-prune-your-trees-during-dormant-season
