Winter tree care isn’t just about aesthetics — it reduces the risk that a tree drops a limb or topples, which can both doom the tree and cause property damage and injury. To share important winter tree care tips and warnings, arborist and tree preservationist Basil Camu returns to the podcast this week.
Basil is the “chief vision officer and wizard of things” of Leaf & Limb, a tree care company based in Raleigh, North Carolina, that refuses to remove living trees, and the leader of Project Pando, a nonprofit that collects native seeds, propagates them and gives away the saplings. In his book “From Wasteland to Wonder,” he identifies how anyone can use trees to reverse biodiversity loss.
Basil is the “chief vision officer and wizard of things” of Leaf & Limb, a tree care company that refuses to remove living trees, and the leader of Pando Project, a nonprofit that collects native seeds, propagates them and gives away the seedlings. (Photo Credit: Tessa Williams, Media Director at Leaf & Limb)
The early part of the year, before trees begin to leaf out and the sap starts moving feverishly, is the best time for structural pruning of trees. In the winter we have the opportunity to see the structure of our deciduous trees unobstructed by leaves. And because the trees are dormant, pruning now will put less stress on trees.
But winter is also a time when we may be contending with ice and snow. When trees are subjected to heavy snow and ice loads, branches are prone to break, which could lead to personal injuries and property damage. And a bad break can also lead to an otherwise healthy tree dying.
“It’s good to think about tree pruning as sort of like mowing your lawn,” Basil says. It’s a regimented practice that should be done on a schedule. In the case of a large mature tree, every two to three years should be sufficient. “If you have the budget, do it every year, but every two to three years is a good rule of thumb.”
Why Structural Pruning Is Necessary
“A traditional tree will have a large trunk with smaller, well-spaced branches,” Basil explains. “That’s how you’d find these trees growing in the forest. But in the urban setting, often they’re getting a lot of sunlight, probably more than would be natural in the forest. So they’ll grow these very large limbs out to the side. Sometimes, those limbs might actually be as big as the trunk or even bigger. And when you have these large limbs and they’re growing in ways they shouldn’t, this is where a little bit of extra load could be a really bad thing.”
In a forest environment, a tree grows in competition for light. It is surrounded by other trees of approximately equal height, and they all reach for the light. Rather than growing out to get more light, a tree in a forest grows up.
“Trees are light eaters,” Basil says. “I mean, this is their food. So they grow towards their food source. So if there’s a bunch of light pouring in from the side where there would have normally been other trees fighting for that light, well, the tree will react by putting out lots of new growth in that direction so that it can collect more food. Food is what it needs to thrive and be healthy and protect itself just like we humans.”
The unnatural structure of a standalone landscape tree, or specimen tree, needs tailoring. Structural pruning will reduce the risk that a limb splits and causes damage to the trunk that the tree can’t recover from.
“The idea of structural pruning is a way that we can give our trees extra life, but we can also protect our assets — our yard, our house, et cetera,” Basil says. “The best time to do this sort of pruning is in the winter because it’s a time when plants are not as active.”
The flow of sap and nutrients during winter is a dull roar compared to the growing season, he notes. “So in general, those pruning cuts that we would make induce just a bit less stress to the tree, which is a good thing.”
This tree has a young double trunk, which can make a tree vulnerable to toppling.
(Photo Credit: Leaf & Limb)
The same tree after structural pruning to move the second trunk.
(Photo Credit: Leaf & Limb)
Why Canopy Thinning Is Not a Good Idea
Canopy thinning is an old pruning practice that Basil says is not helpful for a mature, large-canopy tree. He advises practicing structural pruning instead.
Canopy thinning creates holes that let light in, but then the tree just fills those holes right back up with growth. “You unnecessarily stress the tree,” he says. “You’ve wasted money. … It’s just not the way to go.”
Steer Clear of Uplifting Trees
If a tree is already leaning to one side under the weight of snow and ice in a storm, there is nothing to be done to fix it.
“Unfortunately, this is one of those things that if you haven’t gotten to it ahead of time, there’s not much you can do afterwards,” Basil says.
You can check if a tree is “uplifting” under the weight.
“If it’s leaning to the left, go to the right side of the trunk, look at the base, see if any roots are protruding,” Basil says.
Steer clear of the side that the tree is leaning toward. That tree could fall at any moment, especially if a gust of wind pushed the tree farther in that direction.
If a tree is small enough, you could knock snow off a tree with a broom or another tool. But Basil does not suggest trying this on a large tree. “Just don’t get hurt,” he says. “Industry publications, we get these accident briefs every month, and it’s always half professionals, but then there’s half people inadvertently finding themselves in dangerous situations like working on a ladder. Don’t put a ladder next to that icy tree and get up there and try to shake ice out. You want to be on the ground and make sure nothing can fall on your head and hurt you.”
An uplifting tree could fall at any moment, so don’t walk under it. Also, stay out of rooms in your house that the tree may fall on. Have the hazardous tree addressed ASAP by a certified arborist.
(Photo Credit: Leaf & Limb)
The Worst Time to Prune Trees
While the best time to cut into trees is winter, the worst time is spring. That’s because spring is when sap is rising through trees to power trees’ seasonal growth.
“You can just think about this pump pushing nutrients and water up into the canopy to help fuel all those leaves that are growing,” Basil says. “It takes a lot of resources. So if you cut a branch off during that time, all of a sudden, it’s spurting out those valuable resources.”
DIY Winter Tree Care
Basil loves it when folks learn how to prune the young and new trees they’ve planted in recent years. It starts with finding the biggest and straightest trunk, from the base of the tree to the canopy.
“Once you’ve evaluated what you think that main trunk probably is, or probably should be, your second step is to say, OK, now what is competing for dominance with that main line that I’ve just identified? Maybe there’s like a really obvious second trunk, or maybe there’s a less obvious side branch but it’s getting really tall and maybe surpassing the trunk. With all of those, you would either fully remove the branch or competing trunk, or perhaps reduce it in half.”
This encourages the tree to develop the main trunk and subordinate other branches and trunks that are attempting to compete.
A side branch that surpasses the trunk should be removed.
(Photo Credit: Leaf & Limb)
When To Call in the Pros
Taller trees should be pruned by professional arborists. Basil draws the line at any work that requires a ladder. If a homeowner would need a ladder to complete the work, that homeowner should call a pro instead.
A tree up to a 10 or 12 foot height can be trimmed with Felcos or loppers by a homeowner standing on the ground. A homeowner who wants to go a bit longer could invest in some pole tools to reach 20 or even 25 feet up, Basil says.
“At that point, I would definitely wear a hard hat and definitely wear eye protection because you just don’t want a thing to fall and hit you right at the end of the branch in the side of your head.”
I’m guilty of getting up on a ladder and pressing my luck. I’m not kidding when I say there have been times where I’ve been up in the tree and thought, I may not make it back down the way I came up. I realize that’s very ill-advised, and I hope to heed my own advice.
“I would recommend at least throwing a rope up in a branch and tying it around your waist and legs so that if you did fall, you’d have something to catch you,” Basil says.
The other safety consideration is eye protection. Having been poked in the eye before, I now always wear safety glasses when I’m doing any trimming.
“Those little eye pokes are really painful,” Basil says. “That’s a thing we’re very careful about.”
If you don’t need to get up on a ladder to prune a tree, it can be a DIY job. If a ladder is needed, call in a professional.
(Photo Credit: Leaf & Limb)
Why Tree Topping Is a Bad Idea
Tree topping is the practice of taking the top of a large canopy tree off.
“It’s very harmful to the tree,” Basil says. “They struggle to recover.”
Tree topping is not great for a tree’s health, but sometimes homeowners ask arborists to do it anyway — and the homeowners can’t always be talked out of it.
In another form of topping, every single branch is cut in half, like someone was treating the tree like an ornamental shrub, Basil says.
Sometimes a tree cannot recover and will die outright, he says. Or it may sprout from those cuts, but those new sprouts are weakly attached, creating a danger they will fall.
“It really doesn’t lead to any good outcome,” Basil says of topping. “It’s a poor investment and it’s going to kill the tree, or best case scenario, severely maim the tree.”
Twice the tragedy: This homeowner allowed the canopy of both these beautiful hardwood trees to be decimated. These trees will never be the same and may have died within a few years.
Why I Love Arborist Wood Chips
I feel like a kid in a candy store when I have 10 or 20 cubic yards of arborist wood chips dumped by my street. I can go get my tractor and scoop it up and then spread it in my gardens and landscape beds. And I can get the chips delivered for free via ChipDrop.
“A pile of good rotting leaves or wood chips makes me unnecessarily excited,” Basil says.
Organic mulch improves the soil around the tree, among other benefits.
Basil points out that arborist wood chips, because they often come from branches, are loaded with nutrients. “Branches are where you’re going to find most of the good stuff,” he says. “So the perfect load of wood chips would actually be one that was just of pruning debris and not trunk wood — but even trunk wood is fine.”
Once the wood chips are on the ground and they start rotting, they are building healthy soil. Arborist wood chips don’t become hydrophobic like triple-shredded store-bought mulch. Store-bought mulch can actually prevent water from getting to roots.
Arborist wood chips develop fungal mats that hold the wood chips in place beautifully while also being porous, according to Basil. Meanwhile, triple-shredded mulch tends to attract the artillery fungus and bird’s nest fungus.
Wood chips on top of soil will not rob nitrogen from the plants around it. When mulch is above the surface, it’s breaking down, and if it’s depleting any nitrogen whatsoever in the soil, it’s only the top 16th of an inch, according to university studies. So it’s a non-issue.
“If we were chatting with the tree on this podcast, I would venture to say the tree would tell you his three favorite foods are the arborist wood chips and then leaves and then compost,” Basil says. “These are the best ways to make your trees super healthy.”
I must have been a tree in a prior life because those are my three favorite things too.
Arborist wood chips make an amazing mulch around trees, improving the soil and providing other benefits as well.
(Photo Credit: Leaf & Limb)
Can Wood Chips From Diseased and Infested Trees Be Used in the Garden Safely?
When a tree is taken down due to pests or disease, it’s natural to wonder if it’s safe to use those wood chips as mulch.
“Most diseases are in the air,” Basil notes. “A rust spore can float for many miles. So your tree, your best bet is to boost its immune system.”
A tree doesn’t actually have an immune system, he acknowledges, but it’s an apt metaphor.
“If you can keep it really healthy with these leaves and wood chips, et cetera, it’s going to be able to resist those pests,” Basil says. “… Any possible harm that could come I think is far outweighed by the health that comes into the soil from these products,” he adds.
If there is an invasive pest in your area, such as the emerald ash borer, there may be bulletins alerting you to quarantines that prohibit the movement of wood chips and other debris from certain tree species. Check with your local cooperative extension.
“Most states are dealing with one or two invasive pests that are a real issue, and you probably know about them already,” Basil says.
Wood chips from trees that were effected by an invasive pest should not be moved around because they could spread the pest to new areas.
(Photo Credit: Leaf & Limb)
Avoid Root Zone Damage
In addition to maintaining trees with structural pruning and a focus on soil health, Basil advises taking care to avoid root zone damage.
“If you can do those three things, your tree’s going to live for a very long time,” he says.
Work you have done on your property may involved a trenching cutting across the property, and there’s no doubt that it’s cutting right through some of the primary roots.
“It’s one of those heartbreaking situations that happens far too often,” Basil says.
A client calls about a beloved tree that has been suffering ever since irrigation pipes were put down with a trencher, or a house got an addition put on.
“Nothing can be done now, but if we could have just been there before construction to look at the plans, there’s often very easy ways to avoid what becomes critical harm to the tree,” Basil says.
A good rule of thumb is to avoid any digging in the area under the branches.
“If you do start digging or trenching or excavating in that area, you risk harming its health,” Basil says. “If you get too close to the trunk though, you actually risk the structural stability, which is much scarier.”
A good rule of thumb is to refrain from digging within six times the diameter of the trunk. Cutting roots within that zone means not only harming a tree’s health but also possibly undermining its ability to stand up straight.
Use a Credentialed and Knowledgeable Arborist
When calling a trained professional, hire an ISA Certified Arborist. ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) professionals have a certification and an identification number that is associated with their professional credentials.
“An ISA-certified arborist is not what it used to be,” Basil warns. “It is good, but I would recommend going beyond it, if you can test them a little bit on their knowledge. The reason I say this is because the system’s being gamed a little bit. People work real hard to get that credential, but they won’t do any learning beyond that, and then they’ll just forget what they learn. So I would prod them a little bit and maybe read through their website.”
Basil’s book “From Wasteland to Wonder” includes five things to ask a tree guy. The ebook is available for free, and the hardcopy is sold at cost.
Project Pando
Basil helps to put more trees into the world through his nonprofit Project Pando.
“We work with the community to collect native seeds, and then we grow those into young saplings that we give away,” he explains.
Between 8,000 and 12,000 trees are given to the community each year, all from seeds collected locally. “So it’s almost a hyper-native tree,” he says.
“We’ve had so much community engagement. It’s just such a cool gateway into this world. Maybe you get a chance to go collect seeds with your kids and the act of collecting those seeds draws you into then helping raise the trees and the next thing you know, you’re planting trees in your front yard. … It’s fun to be a part of and it’s fun to watch.”
Project Pando propagates seedlings from native trees and gives the seedlings away for ecological restoration projects. (Photo Credit: Tessa Williams, Media Director at Leaf & Limb)
I hope you enjoyed my conversations with Basil Camu on winter tree care. If you haven’t listened yet, you can do so now by scrolling to the top of the page and clicking the Play icon in the green bar under the page title.
Have your trees been damaged by winter weather? Let us know about your experience in the comments below.
Links & Resources
Some product links in this guide are affiliate links. See full disclosure below.
Episode 237: Ecological Gardening: Creating Beauty & Biodiversity
Episode 331: The Ecological Garden Blueprint: 10 Essential Steps That Matter Most
Episode 364: Easy Ways to Help Heal Earth in Suburban and Urban Landscapes
Episode 392: Prevent Eye Injuries in the Garden
“From Wasteland to Wonder: Easy Ways We Can Help Heal Earth in the Sub/Urban Landscape” by Basil Camu – free ebook
“How Trees Can Save the World, and What We Can Do to Help” presentation by Basil Camu
“Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web” by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis
“Teaming with Fungi: The Organic Grower’s Guide to Mycorrhizae” by Jeff Lowenfels
“Teaming with Bacteria: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to Endophytic Bacteria and the Rhizophagy Cycle” by Jeff Lowenfels
“Teaming with Nutrients: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to Optimizing Plant Nutrition” by Jeff Lowenfels
“Mycorrhizal Planet: How Symbiotic Fungi Work with Roots to Support Plant Health and Build Soil Fertility” by Michael Phillips
“Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
“The Responsible Company” by Yvon Chouinard
“Thinking in Systems” by Donella Meadows
“Breaking Through Gridlock: The Power of Conversation in a Polarized World” by Jason Jay and Gabriel Grant
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joegardener Online Gardening Academy Beginning Gardener Fundamentals: Essential principles to know to create a thriving garden.
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Disclosure: Some product links in this guide are affiliate links, which means we get a commission if you purchase. However, none of the prices of these resources have been increased to compensate us, and compensation is not an influencing factor on their inclusion here. The selection of all items featured in this post and podcast was based solely on merit and in no way influenced by any affiliate or financial incentive, or contractual relationship. At the time of this writing, Joe Lamp’l has professional relationships with the following companies who may have products included in this post and podcast: Corona Tools, Milorganite, Soil3, Territorial Seed Company, Earth’s Ally, Proven Winners ColorChoice, Farmer’s Defense, Heirloom Roses and Dramm. These companies are either Brand Partners of joegardener.com and/or advertise on our website. However, we receive no additional compensation from the sales or promotion of their product through this guide. The inclusion of any products mentioned within this post is entirely independent and exclusive of any relationship.
