During the winter, proper fruit tree care is critical. Animals view fruit trees as food during the cold weather months, and if you don’t want to end up replacing any of your trees in the spring, you’ll need to find ways to keep the critters away.

Many northern Utah homeowners are concerned about deer — and rightly so. However, mice, voles, squirrels and other rodents can be just as harmful to your fruit trees. To help guard against animal damage, try our expert winter fruit tree care tips.

How to Keep Rodents Away from Utah Fruit Trees

Rodents love to nibble at fruit tree bark. Wrapping the trunks of your trees can help protect them from becoming lunch for the critters in your yard.

Many types of specially designed tree wraps are available at your local garden center or home improvement store. Or if you already have some wire mesh or old metal window screening on hand, this can provide protection against rodents.

Regardless of which type of tree wrap you choose, make sure to place it so that the material extends to the ground — or better yet, bury the edge about an inch. Doing so will prevent hungry rodents from getting under the barrier.

How to Keep Deer Away from Fruit Trees

Bar soap, human hair and other well-known deer-repellants aren’t all that effective. Neither are spray deterrents. So what do tree experts recommend homeowners do to keep deer from eating their trees?

Really, the only reliable way to guard against deer is to install a physical barrier. Property fencing that’s at least 8 feet tall can stop deer from getting near your trees. If that’s too costly, consider encircling the trees with chicken wire or adding solar-powered motion sensors.

How to Protect Utah Fruit Trees from Other Winter Damage

Animals aren’t the only potential cause of winter damage to fruit trees. Severe weather conditions, extremely low temperatures, frost heaving and sun scald can also be detrimental to fruit tree health.

Wrapping and mulching can help protect trees from winter-related damage. In addition, proper tree trimming and tree pruning throughout the year can reduce the effects of Jack Frost. A reputable, expert tree services company can let you know when to handle these tasks.

The professional arborists of Reliable Tree Care, serving the greater Salt Lake City area for more than 20 years, have extensive experience with fruit tree care. Our highly qualified technicians can help keep your fruit trees at their best all year long, nurturing them into producing great results at harvest time.

To schedule a free, no-pressure yard evaluation with the Reliable Tree Care team, or for more tips on winter fruit tree care, contact our Murray office today.