While many people wait for Spring to start planning out their landscaping and watch their yards come to life, surprisingly, winter is a great time for planting trees! There are multiple benefits to planting trees in the winter months, and some of them might surprise you. Before purchasing your trees, make sure to consult with a professional landscaper to ensure that the trees you’re choosing are trees that can flourish in your specific climates. Washington is known for it’s evergreen trees and apple orchards, however, with hundreds of different varieties of trees to choose from, it’s important to do the needed research prior to jumping in and beginning to plant.
Benefits of Planting Trees in the Winter
Root Development
The roots are the true heart of all plants which is why root development is so crucial. The winter months, while you’ll see little growth and development above ground, is an exceptional time for your plants to take a break from blooming and growing new leaves to focus all their energy to the roots, ensuring a strong and robust root system capable of supporting larger healthy growth come the spring and summer months.
Reduced Transplant Stress
Regardless of how careful you are when transplanting plants and trees, they will undergo some sort of stress from being moved and planted. Without the instant shock of drier dirt, sun scorching leaves, or new growth being lost during the transplant, planting trees in the winter months can help minimize the amount of stress your trees will endure, ensuring they can flourish and put down roots in their new home.
Plenty of Water
When planting trees or any plants, you always want to ensure they are receiving adequate water to help with root development and growth. During the hotter summer months it can be harder to ensure your trees are getting enough water and they can often become sun scorched from the initial shock of the transplant combined with the hotter summer temperatures. In addition to the heavier rainfall the winter months bring, the soil as a whole generally stays moist as temperatures don’t often reach high enough to fully dry out the ground at root levels. Because of this planting trees in the winter is a great way to ensure that your trees will receive the needed water to flourish in the coming months.
Planning Your Landscape
While not necessarily a benefit to planting trees themselves, a great reason you may choose to landscape during the winter is solely for visibility purposes. During the winter months many of your plants will start to go dormant and drop their leaves which allows you a better and more clear view of the space you have available. Having a clear view of the empty spaces in your landscaping can give you a better “whole picture” allowing you to decide where you feel planting trees would be beneficial. As an added bonus, this helps ensure that you aren’t damaging new growth on your current plants and trees while in the process of planting your new ones. Keep in mind, many trees in Washington are evergreen, and thus, won’t drop their leaves like other trees.
While many people wait to work on their landscaping until Spring, there are several benefits to hiring a landscaping company to come and help prep your outdoor spaces to flourish come Spring and Summer. Whether you already have a full plan for how to enhance your outdoor spaces or you’re hoping for some insight on how to boost your curb appeal, our team of professional landscapers is here to help create the outdoor spaces of your dreams! Contact us today for a consultation!