What Is Tree Frost Crack & What Can I Do About It?

Has the crazy winter weather caused a crack to develop in your favorite tree? Tree frost crack is a common ailment that results from a cycle of intense cold followed by a thaw. Take a few minutes to learn about tree frost crack and what you can do about it.

What is tree frost crack
Those of us who create our lives in the Buffalo metropolitan area are a hardy bunch, and we take pride in making it through the harshest winter weather. In general, the trees that thrive in our part of New York stand up well to a variety of weather conditions. Sometimes, however, radical weather changes leave a mark known as a frost crack on a tree.

The mark is a vertical crack in the tree’s bark. Experts say that it occurs when frost causes the tree bark to contract and a quick thaw results in an expansion of the bark. Although a noticeable crack in the bark of your beloved tree looks scary, it’s helpful to know that the tree isn’t in any immediate danger.

What can you do about a frost crack
Even though a frost crack isn’t going to cause your tree to fall overnight, it does feel worrisome, and it’s natural that you want to help. Unfortunately, there isn’t a sure fire fix to a frost crack. Some of the common repairs such as (1) wound paint, (2) adhesives, and (3) sealants aren’t usually effective treatments.

Tree care professionals say that the best thing to do for your tree is to let the tree heal the crack itself. It’s also beneficial to wrap the tree trunk over the next few winters.

Lastly, frost cracks are a reminder that nothing makes it through winter in the Buffalo-Niagara metropolitan area unscathed. The dramatic weather conditions can impact trees through frost cracks. The unsightly vertical cracks may mar the overall beauty of the tree, but it’s important to remember that the tree is quite capable of healing the fissure over time.

Tree frost cracks rarely lead to the demise of trees in Buffalo, but trees don’t live forever, and even the most well-loved specimen will die eventually. Contact the stump removal experts at Buffalo Stump Removal for the highest quality stump removal and stump grinding services in the region.
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