Winter care of pine trees and its preparation for the spring growing season

Winter is a time when pines need protection from the negative factors that can occur during the cold season.

One of the main factors of such protection is prevention of formation of conditions under which dehydration of plant tissues is possible. Such dehydration can occur even under the condition of sufficient soil moisture, but the root system of plants under the influence of stress factors may not even take available moisture from the soil, the so-called root deficiency is formed.The highest probability of pine root deficiency is possible in early spring, when the plant evaporates a significant amount of moisture and is unable to compensate for it.

 Activities for the winter care of pine trees

Winter care for pine trees involves such activities:

– Root mulching helps to preserve moisture and heat in the soil, prevents freezing and salinisation of roots, and protects it against rodents. Peat, compost, fallen leaves, straw, needles, bark or other organic materials can be used for mulching. The mulch layer should be 10-15 cm thick and cover the root zone at a distance of 30-50 cm from the trunk.

– Shaking snow off the crown. This helps to reduce the stress on branches from snow and ice, which can break or twist them. To clear the crown, you can use special devices such as snow blowers or simply shake snow off the branches with a stick or broom.

How to prepare pines for the spring growing season?

 The preparation of pines for spring and the growing season begins at the end of winter and continues until the beginning of spring. This period involves stages such as:

– Clearing. You need to clean pine trees in the spring to remove debris, dead needles, branches, cones, and other materials that have accumulated on the soil and on the plants over the winter. Cleaning helps improve the appearance, ventilation, and hygiene of pines, as well as preventing disease and pests.

Cleaning is carried out with a rake, broom, scissors or pruning shears, removing all unwanted material and disposing of it properly. This work should be carried out in dry and warm weather, avoiding injury or infection of the plants.  The best time for cleaning is early March or April, before budbreak and new growth begins.

– Watering. Pine trees need watering in spring to ensure they have enough moisture before the start of the growing season, when they resume their growth and development. Water regularly and abundantly, depending on weather and soil conditions, using 15-20 litres of water per plant. Dehydrated plants wither, attract insect pests and are more susceptible to various diseases such as pine verticillium.

It is worth watering in the morning or evening, avoiding soaking the needles. The optimal watering regime is once or twice a week, starting in mid-March or April when the soil thaws and the buds swell.

– Fertilising. Pine trees need feeding in the spring to provide it with sufficient amounts of nutrients, because it improves the growth and development of trees, and its crown becomes more beautiful.Special, non-chemical fertilisers containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, trace elements and organic matter can be used. Fertilisers should be dissolved in water and applied under the root of the plants. Fertilisers should be applied once or twice a month, starting in mid-March or April, when buds open and new growth begins.

-Priming. Pines need pruning in spring to remove dry, damaged, diseased and excess branches and to give the crown the desired shape. Pruning should be done only with sharp and well disinfected tools, the cuts should be even and smooth.

Pruning should be carried out in dry and warm weather, avoiding early and late pruning, which can lead to drying or rotting branches. Pruning should be done carefully and lightly, as pines do not tolerate heavy pruning and are slow to recover. May is the best time to prune pines, it is only during this period that new buds are forming, to limit pine growth, young “candles” are broken out, depending on how much you need to allow the pine to grow.

It is important to observe the condition of the plant even if the soil in the root zone is sufficiently moistened. If it is advisable to seek professional advice if you notice any signs of wilting or shrivelling of pines, it really can save the plant if treatment and preventive measures are taken in time.