As we move inside for the winter to cozy up to the fireplace, we need to remember our smooth-barked and young trees.

Using a tree wrap on the trunk of your tree from late fall when tree growth slows down to the last frost of spring when temperatures begin to warm up

offers a layer of protection to the bark underneath.

It’s easy to remember if you wrap between two holidays: Thanksgiving and Easter.

It’s not recommended to use tree wrap year-round as that gives insects a place to hide and allows them to damage the bark.

Wrapping will protect your trees for different reasons.

SUNSCALD

One reason to wrap is to prevent sunscald which occurs when the high intensity of sunlight during warm winter days warms the bark on a tree.

The goal is to keep them cooler during winter. This warming triggers cells to “break” dormancy, stimulating cellular activity.

When the sun sets or a sudden drop in temperature occurs, these active cells and conductive tissues known as xylem and phloem are killed. The resulting injury presents itself as sunken and discolored bark. Over time it may flake off to expose dead tissue underneath.

INSECTS AND ANIMALS

Another is to protect from damage of wood-boring insect species. Damage increases when insects get under the tree’s bark.

This causes damage to the internal layers where nutrients and water are transported from the roots to the leaves. The cambium layer, which is the growing part of the trunk that produces new bark and wood, is also interrupted.

It also keeps squirrels, rabbits and deer from snacking on the tender bark when their food sources are limited.

The wraps come in a variety of different materials.

Colorado State University Extension recommends the light-colored crepe paper type as it has some elasticity and sheds water, keeping the trunk dry.

You don’t want to use a dark-colored wrap as it may warm up the trunk during cold weather. The use of latex paint is also not recommended even though it’s less labor intensive and cheaper. Oil-based paint can damage your trees.

Your trees should only be wrapped the first one to three years after planting.

The correct way to wrap your tree is to start at the base working your way up at an angle. Overlap as you go one-third of its width to provide proper coverage.

Secure the wrap once you reach the bottom branches, cut the wrap and secure it with staples or a small tack. You don’t want to use wire or twine as this may girdle your tree trunks.

Throw another log on the fire so you can warm up after you venture outside to give your trees some protection this winter.

To learn more about options for tree wrapping (if necessary), visit https://go.osu.edu/treewrap

Baytos is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.