If you live in a colder climate, you know the need to protect your landscape in winter. Installing tree wrap for winter is an important aspect of that work.
Wrapping your trees protects them from dramatic temperature swings during late fall and early winter. That’s particularly important for younger trees getting established in your home landscape.
But what tree wrap for winter should you use? Read on for our recommendations on the best tree wrap for winter. You’ll also find a buyer’s guide and answers to frequently asked questions.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
ANPHSIN Tree Protector Wraps
Best Premium Option:
Waydress Natural Burlap Tree Wrap
Best Budget Option:
ZELARMAN 2 Pack Tree Protector Wraps
Best Overall
ANPHSIN Tree Protector Wraps
As our choice for the best overall tree wrap for winter, ANPHSIN Tree Protector Wraps represent a great combination of reasonable price and great performance. The cost of the ANPHSIN wrap covers two rolls of nearly 6-inch-wide wrap, 130 feet in length.
In addition to providing enough tree wrap for winter for multiple trees, the ANPHSIN wrap is simple to install. Simply secure it at the bottom of the tree, wrap it to your desired height, and secure it with a length of rope.
ANPHSIN Tree Protector Wraps also do more than protect your trees from the ravages of winter. They’re thick enough to keep your trees from being damaged by squirrels, deer, and other wildlife.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Enough wrap is provided for multiple trees
- Reusable
Cons
- May be vulnerable to wildlife damage
- May be subject to shrinkage
Best Premium Option
Waydress Natural Burlap Tree Wrap
If you’re looking for an environmentally friendly tree wrap for winter, Wayless Natural Burlap Tree Wrap is a great option. Woven from jute plants, Waydress wrap costs more, but it’s more than worth our recommendation as the premium tree wrap choice.
Burlap has strong warmth retention and moisture resistance, which makes it perfect as a tree wrap for winter. In addition, it offers great protection against sunscalding, a danger for trees in winter. And it protects trees from scratches and other wildlife damage.
Pros
- Thicker than similar products
- Also provides good protection from lawn trimmers
- Useful for covering flower beds as well as protecting trees
Cons
- No installation instructions
- The adhesive should be stronger
Best Budget Option
ZELARMAN 2-Pack Tree Protector Wraps
If you have a lot of trees, it’s understandable that budgetary concerns could guide your decision on tree wrap for winter. No worries, though, because the ZELARMAN 2-Pack Tree Protector Wraps are a great budget-conscious option.
With the ZELARMAN 2-Pack, you’ll get 130 linear feet of non-woven fabric tree-wrapping material. The wrap is nearly five inches wide, meaning the ZELARMAN 2-PACK can handle several trees, including larger specimens.
Installation of the ZELARMAN tree wrap for winter is simplicity itself. Start wrapping from the bottom of the trunk, and when you’ve wrapped to the needed height, secure the wrap with string.
Pros
- A better option than paper wrapping
- Color disguises product well on tree trunks
- Remains in place in rainy weather
Cons
- May be difficult for some purchasers to install
- Material may be too light for some uses
- May be susceptible to damage from animals
Best Paper Tree Wrap
Walter E. Clark 3×50 Tree Wrap
If you want to be confident your tree wrap for winter is effective, simply choose the Walter E. Clark 3-inch by 50-foot wrap. This wrap is designated as our best paper tree wrap for winter because of its elasticity, among other reasons.
Because this wrap can stretch, you can be confident it is attached securely to your trees. As a direct result of that secure attachment, the Walter E. Clark paper wrap won’t be susceptible to sagging. Some other wraps will sag over time, lessening their protection of your trees.
Also, the Clark wrap will stand up well to frost, which creates moisture that might diminish the effectiveness of other wraps.
Pros
- Not as unsightly as other wraps can be
- Good breathability to keep trees healthy
- Can stretch and wrap without tearing
Cons
- May loosen in rainy weather
- May lose effectiveness in snowy weather
- Likely to last only a single winter
Buyer’s Guide to the Best Winter Tree Wrap
To be a conscientious steward of your home landscape, particularly in colder climates, you need to be aware of and take steps to control something called sunscalding.
Briefly, sunscalding results from problematic warming of tree bark in late winter and early spring. Tree wrapping for winter is an effective way to deal with sunscalding.
During late winter and early spring, sunlight can be particularly intense. It can be strong enough to stimulate cellular activity in your trees. But those newly active cells are killed as the sun sets, and the temperature falls.
You’ll likely first see sunscalding as sunken and discolored bark on your trees. If you see that, you’ll know your trees are more susceptible to damage from invading organisms.
In addition to addressing sunscalding, tree wrap can protect your trees from windburn, which can evaporate tissues in tree bark. Tree wrap also can protect your trees from damage by foraging wildlife.
Read on for guidance in choosing and using tree wrap for winter to keep your trees healthy.
Types of Tree Wrap
As you’ve learned by looking through our recommendations for the best tree wrap for winter, three types exist. Polypropylene, burlap, other fabrics, and paper can all be effective.
Polypropylene is a good choice for ensuring breathability in trees. It also stretches so that it won’t constrict tree growth.
Burlap tree wrap for winter offers great air circulation to keep your tree healthy. It’s particularly effective with evergreen trees. Its low price makes it a tempting choice for all types of trees, and it’s OK to use burlap on trees other than evergreens.
Finally, paper tree wrap provides excellent breathability and stretch, prime considerations for the best tree wrap for winter. The one drawback of paper is that it’s not as durable as fabric or polypropylene options.
Environmental Concerns of Tree Wrap
Tree wraps are generally biodegradable, so there is no need to worry about any widespread environmental damage from using them. But if left on too long, tree wraps can restrict growth and damage trees.
Particularly in the summer, any space between tree wrap and your tree can harbor insects and diseases that could severely damage or even kill a tree.
Frequently Asked Questions: Winter Tree Wrap
Now that you’ve had a chance to review our recommendations for the best winter tree wrap, you may have some additional questions. Read on for answers to frequently asked questions about tree wrap for winter.
What is the proper way to install tree wrap?
Manufacturers of the various types of tree wrap will routinely include general instructions for installing their particular tree wrap for winter.
Generally, tree wrapping should be started an inch below ground level. Remove some soil from the trunk at ground level, and then pack it against the tree wrap as you begin winding it around the tree.
When wrapping, overlap the wrap by about half its width, continuing until you reach the tree’s lowest branches. Once finished, secure the wrap to the tree. Duct tape or string are good choices for keeping the wrap in place.
What schedule should be used for installing and removing tree wrap?
Generally, trees should be wrapped by the end of November. However, consider wrapping your trees somewhat earlier if you live in a particularly cold climate.
Tree wrap should be removed no later than April or after the last anticipated frost of winter.
What should be done in addition to wrapping to protect trees in winter?
You can do things besides wrapping that will protect your trees in winter. Keeping trees adequately watered during fall can help them survive winter. Trees need at least 1 inch of water weekly in the fall.
Also, installing mulch around your trees will keep soil insulated from the cold to help with tree health.
Wrapping up the Best Tree Wrap for Winter
Now that you’ve learned about tree wrap for winter, it’s time to decide which will work best for you.
Minneopa Orchards has more information on tree care, from advice on pruning tools to getting rid of apple tree pests. Check out those posts and others available to boost your tree care knowledge.
- About the Author
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As a longtime homeowner, Jim Thompson has tried over the years, with varying degrees of success, to enhance his residential landscapes.
As a reporter and editor for newspapers in rural Georgia, Jim interacted frequently with agricultural experts from the University of Georgia Extension Service, learning about soils and other aspects of growing things for both commercial and residential purposes.
A graduate of the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Jim covered a variety of beats before retiring and embarking on writing for Minneopa Orchards.
Jim can be reached at jimt3rd@yahoo.com