5 Benefits of Burlap Wrapping for Your Trees During Toronto Winters 

Anyone with trees in their yard knows Toronto winters can be hard on them. Between freezing rain, strong winds, heavy snow and all the road salt flying around, trees near the street or driveway take quite a beating. You might not notice the damage right away, either. Sometimes, the first signs show up in spring, when an evergreen starts looking a little brown around the edges. 

Burlap is one way to give certain trees some extra protection through the colder months. It works particularly well as a screen around exposed evergreens and newly planted trees. It won’t stop every kind of winter damage, but it does help with a couple of the things trees have to put up with around here. 

Here are five things worth knowing before you get the burlap out. 

1. Helps protect evergreens from drying winds 

Evergreens hold onto their needles all year, even when the temperature drops below zero. Those needles still lose moisture through winter. The problem is, once the ground freezes, the roots have a harder time replacing the water being lost. 

Add a few days of cold, drying wind and bright winter sun, and the needles can start to suffer. By spring, you might notice brown patches or tips. This is known as winter burn. 

A burlap screen helps cut down some of the wind hitting the tree. If your evergreen sits in an open front yard or faces a particularly windy street, screening the exposed side is worth considering. You don’t need to wrap the whole thing up. A well-placed screen often does the job. 

2. Helps keep road salt spray off nearby branches 

Road salt is part of winter life in Toronto. We spread it on sidewalks and driveways, and the city uses plenty of it on the roads. The trouble for nearby trees comes when passing cars send salty slush and spray onto branches and foliage. 

A burlap screen between the road and the tree helps catch some of that spray before it reaches the needles. This is especially useful for evergreens planted along the boulevard or close to a driveway. 

There’s one thing burlap won’t do, though. It won’t keep salt out of the soil. Meltwater carries salt into the ground, so try not to pile snow from salted driveways around tree trunks or garden beds. That snow has to go somewhere, but your trees don’t need to be the landing spot. 

3. Gives newly planted trees a bit of extra protection 

Newly planted trees haven’t had much time to establish themselves. Their roots are still growing into the surrounding soil, which makes the first few winters a little tougher. 

Take a look at where the tree sits. Is it out in the open? Does one side face a busy road? Is there little protection from the wind? These are the spots worth paying attention to. 

A burlap screen around the exposed side helps shield young trees from some wind and road salt spray while their roots continue to establish. A tree tucked beside the house or sheltered by larger trees might be fine without one. There’s no need to cover every new tree just because winter is coming. 

4. Lets air move through while providing a screen 

There’s a reason burlap works well for outdoor screens. The fabric has a loose weave, so air still moves through rather than getting trapped behind a solid covering. 

Plastic isn’t a good substitute. It restricts airflow and can trap moisture around the foliage. Burlap gives you a more breathable barrier while taking some of the edge off the wind. 

The setup matters, too. Put the fabric on wooden stakes and leave some room between the screen and the branches. Don’t pull the burlap tight around the tree. You’re creating a windbreak, not wrapping a present. 

5. Gives you a chance to check for weak branches 

Putting up a burlap screen is also a good excuse to spend a few minutes looking over your trees. Check for dead, damaged or weak branches before the snow arrives. Heavy, wet snow can put a surprising amount of weight on them, especially during a messy Toronto snowstorm. 

Burlap won’t stop a branch from snapping under the weight of snow or ice. Pruning damaged or poorly positioned branches before winter is a better way to reduce the risk. During a snowfall, you can gently brush loose, heavy snow off branches if you can reach them safely. Leave ice alone. Trying to knock it off can break the branch you’re trying to protect. 

And if you’ve installed a burlap screen, check the stakes after a strong storm. Winter winds have a habit of testing anything you’ve put up in the yard. 

Give your trees some attention before winter 

You don’t need to cover every tree on your property. Start with the evergreens that face the road, sit in an exposed spot or haven’t had much time to establish their roots. Trees in sheltered areas, particularly established ones, often manage just fine without burlap. 

Late fall is a good time to put up your screens, ideally before the ground freezes. When the worst of winter has passed in spring, take them down and store the burlap for next year. 

A quick walk around the yard before winter can help you spot the trees that need a little attention. If your property needs some seasonal care, Mr. Mow It All offers landscaping and garden maintenance services for homeowners across Toronto and the GTA. Get a free estimate now.