The first signs of spring are always a welcome sight in Southeastern Pennsylvania, but before your trees burst back to life, they may need some extra attention. Winter’s ice and snow can leave behind hidden damage like cracks or broken branches. Here’s how to spot winter damage and help your trees recover this spring.
Key Takeaways:
- After winter, trees may need extra watering during dry spells, but only when temperatures are above freezing to prevent ice buildup.
- Prune broken branches from winter storms promptly to prevent further damage.
- Rinse road salt off trees with clean water to protect them from salt burn.
- Frost cracks and sunscald from temperature fluctuations don’t usually require intervention beyond trimming loose bark.
- Preventive care through proper pruning, adequate watering, and wrapping broadleaf evergreens can help minimize winter damage to trees in the first place.
4 Tips to Help Your Trees Recover from Winter Damage
Once winter is over and your trees begin to bud and grow, it’s important to check them for signs of damage. Winter can be tough for plants, especially when our area experiences droughts or significant snow storms. While you should inspect trees when damage occurs, spring is the perfect time to help them recover and start the growing season on the right foot.
PRO TIP: You can help protect your tree from winter damage by following our winter tree care checklist and regularly checking on them throughout the season.
1. Provide Supplemental Water After a Period of Drought
Droughts are among the deadliest problems for plants. Although most mature trees can survive a drought for a while, they will eventually die without water.
Winter droughts are more common than you might think. In late 2024, Montgomery and Bucks counties faced severe drought conditions, which worsened in 2025, affecting both counties entirely.
Watering during a drought – or whenever soil moisture is low – helps reduce tree stress and promotes healthier growth. To check if your tree needs water, dig a small hole and feel the soil. If it’s dry, it’s time to water. You can also insert a screwdriver into the ground – if it comes out damp, your tree has enough moisture.
To water your trees, use a soaker hose or a bucket with a few holes in the bottom. The goal of watering is to deeply soak the ground to allow the water to reach the deeper roots. Slowly water under the drip line (the area under the canopy).
WARNING: If you try to water your trees before spring, ensure you wait until the temperature is warm enough for the ground to thaw. Frozen ground cannot absorb the water, and it will instead sit on top and freeze. You’ll have an icy mess and a headache on your hands.
2. Spray Water to Help Alleviate Salt Damage
Salt on roads may help melt ice and make travel safer, but it also has the side effect of harming your trees.
“All that salt just kind of sits on the road and mixes with the water. When cars drive through, the tires send all that salt flying, and it can hit your trees. Salt can impact the tree’s ability to take in water and damage the leaves. So, you’ve got to stay pretty alert for signs they are struggling, especially when they are close to sidewalks, roads, or driveways.” – Chris Ward, Clauser Tree ISA Certified Arborist
Salt damage is even more of a concern for evergreens. While you should avoid planting these trees near roadways, if they are already there, you’ll need to give them extra attention during the winter and immediately after.
You can lightly spray your trees with a hose to wash off the salt from the branches. If the soil is full of salt, extensive soaking with clean water can flush the salt out. Only do this when the temperature is above freezing, as you don’t want to turn the area around your tree into a solid sheet of ice.
Some trees in Montgomery and Bucks counties that are most susceptible to salt damage, aside from evergreens, include:
- Red maples
- Silver maples
- Hop-hornbeams
- Allegheny serviceberries
- Redbuds
PRO TIP: Desiccation is another concern for evergreens that can lead to excessive water loss. Learn more about how you can prevent it with our previous article on anti-desiccants for your evergreens.
3. Trim Damaged Branches After Snow Storms
When a massive winter storm blows through the area, like the one Bucks and Montgomery counties saw in early 2025 that caused Upper Southampton Township to declare a snow emergency, trees can bear the brunt of the damage.
Snow and ice can cause branches to snap off or break and remain partially attached. These branches still in your tree are more likely to fail during the next weather event. Pruning will make them safer.
Snow storms can also cause extensive damage and leave your trees as a hazard. In these instances, tree removal may be the only thing you can do to protect yourself and your property.
4. Inspect Your Trees for Signs of Frost Cracks and Sunscald
Fluctuating temperatures and unnaturally warm days during dormancy can damage your trees. If you’ve ever taken a walk near a forest on a cold winter’s night, you might have heard a pop that sounds like a gunshot. It wasn’t a hunter, but most likely a frost crack developing on a tree.
Frost cracks occur when warm winter days are followed by cold nights, causing the tree’s exterior to shrink faster than its interior. Eventually, this can lead to the outer part of the tree cracking.
Alternatively, the heat from the sun can warm up the southwest part of a tree and cause an injury. We call this phenomenon sunscald.
Many homeowners panic when they see these injuries and jump to the conclusion that they should take drastic action. They may want to wrap the wound or put paint on it. In most cases, this isn’t necessary and can impede the tree’s ability to heal the damage.
What we recommend you do for your trees is use a sharp blade to remove the loose bark around the wound. Additionally, keep your tree well maintained with enough water and nutrients to recover from sunscald or a frost crack.
Frequently Asked Questions About Winter Damage to Trees
To help you increase your knowledge about protecting your trees from winter damage and helping them heal, we’ve compiled some common questions homeowners have about what to do for their trees in the winter and spring.
How can I prevent winter injuries to my trees?
You can prevent many winter injuries by pruning your trees, providing additional water during droughts when the weather is above freezing, and wrapping broadleaf evergreens.
Are winter-damaged trees more prone to insects and diseases in the spring?
Winter damage, such as broken branches or frost cracks, can be an entry point for insects and diseases when they become active in the spring. Pests also tend to target trees that are under stress, such as those without sufficient water or nutrients. Keeping your trees healthy and stress-free will improve their natural defenses against insects and diseases.
Should I apply fertilizer to my trees to help them recover from winter damage?
Spring fertilization can give your trees a boost in the new growing season. However, we recommend a soil test before applying any fertilizer. The test will reveal any nutrient deficiencies and allow you to apply targeted treatments rather than use a general fertilizer. Additionally, avoid fertilization unless the soil has sufficient hydration and the temperature is above 55 degrees.
Fertilization is one of many services Clauser Tree Care provides to help trees recover from a harsh winter.
Clauser Tree Care Can Help Your Trees Recover from Winter Damage
Aiding your winter-damaged trees is vital to having healthy and beautiful plants. However, taking care of these struggling trees can be an expensive, time-consuming, and difficult proposition on your own. Instead, trust a team with the equipment and expertise to get it done right.
The team at Clauser Tree includes an ISA Certified Arborist with extensive knowledge of trees and how best to take care of them. We can handle technical work like pruning and fertilization and make recommendations about future care your plants may need. Call us today at 215-542-8291 or get a quote online for help with winter damage today.
About Clauser Tree Care
From who you talk to on the phone in our office, to our courteous and experienced work crews who provide your service, all of the hard-working team members at Clauser Tree Care strive for complete client satisfaction. Our job is simply not done until you are pleased with the experience that you have had working with our company. Founded more than 25 years ago on the principles of honest work and arboricultural best practices, we strive for a higher standard of care for a greener future.
