Six winter chores for healthier spring trees

The tree-filled landscapes of winter can be mistakenly thought to be asleep. Wintering trees are not sleeping; they are simply still — counting the days until spring. Only then will it be apparent whether the tree has saved enough resources to respond to the new season of growth.

Winter is a difficult time for trees which must stand alone against all circumstances that the season can generate. Trees have some internal methods of protection. Most of the growing points in the tree are protected inside jackets called buds, and food reserves are carefully conserved for the coming needs of spring....