Getting Young Trees Ready for the First Freeze in Andrews and Seminole
Andrews and Seminole usually see their first hard freeze sometime in November, and the wind out here does not let up just because it got cold. Mature trees can ride that out. Young and newly planted trees have a harder time, because their roots are still small and their bark is still thin. A little prep this month goes a long way.
Tip: a quick freeze check for young trees
Walk out to any tree planted in the last few years and check these things:
Water before the cold snap. Moist soil holds heat better than dry soil. On a mild day ahead of a forecast freeze, give young trees a slow, deep soak around the root zone, not just at the trunk.
Add a mulch ring. A few inches of mulch spread wide over the root zone helps hold moisture and evens out soil temperature. Keep it pulled back a hand's width from the trunk so bark stays dry.
Check stakes and ties. Our wind puts a lot of stress on young trees. Make sure ties are snug but not cutting into the bark, and remove stakes from trees that have been in the ground long enough to stand on their own.
Look at the trunk. Mower and trimmer nicks, cracks, or peeling bark on the south and southwest side are worth noting. Thin-barked young trees can crack when a sunny winter day is followed by a hard freeze.
Hold off on heavy pruning. Cutting now can push tender growth or leave fresh wounds going into winter. Remove only dead or broken limbs for now.
Why it matters now
West Texas winters are dry, windy, and swing from warm afternoons to hard freezes overnight. A young tree that goes into that weather thirsty, wobbly, or already stressed from summer heat is the one most likely to show dieback in the spring. Stressed trees are also the ones borers and other pests go after first. Getting ahead of it now is easier than trying to bring a tree back later.
What Tejas does
Tejas Pest and Weed Control treats trees for homes and businesses in Andrews, Seminole, and across the Permian Basin. We can walk your yard with you, look over your young trees from the root zone to the canopy, and talk through what we see. Depending on the tree, treatment can include:
Soil injections around the root zone
Trunk injections
Wood borer treatment
Mite treatments
Disease and fungus treatments
Malnutrition support for trees with yellowing leaves in our alkaline soil
Learn more at https://www.tejaspwc.com/tree-services.
Call or text Tejas
Call or text 432-934-5248 to set up a tree check before winter in Andrews, Seminole, or nearby towns.
Tejas Pest and Weed Control · Andrews yard: 2184 SE 2460, Andrews, TX 79714 · Midland yard: 3112 E County Rd 139, Midland, TX 79706 · 432-934-5248 · office@tejaspwc.com
