Which parts of fruit trees are prone to frostbite in winter

Cold winters are often a difficult season for fruit trees, and some freezing disasters tend to occur in concentrated outbreaks. The most common problem for fruit trees is frostbite damage to the tree body, so which parts of fruit trees are relatively prone to frostbite? Let's find out together.

1. Branches

Branches have always been a part of fruit trees that is relatively prone to frostbite, because the branches of fruit trees are relatively thin, have low resistance to low temperatures, and are widely distributed, so when cold air strikes, they receive the most extensive exposure to cold. Branches are also the hardest place to protect against the cold, so in the face of cold winter air, growers can remove some of the relatively thin and weak branches in advance to reduce the tree's nutrient consumption and allow nutrients to be used to the maximum extent.

2. Trunk

Frost damage to the trunk of fruit trees generally occurs in trees with relatively thin bark. It is mainly because the nutrient transport channels in the bark are frozen, causing nutrients to be unable to be supplied to the tree body, leading to death by freezing. Fruit trees such as pear trees and peach trees are relatively prone to this situation, because their trunks are also not thick and strong, and cannot effectively protect against the cold, so external materials are generally needed for cold protection. A common method is to add a covering to the trunk area, that is, using straw and similar materials to wrap it for cold protection.

3. Roots

Root damage is relatively the most serious, first because it is not easy to detect, and second because it is inconvenient to treat. It is mainly caused by frostbite due to excessively large temperature differences in winter. When it is cold, snow water covers the surface layer, then as the temperature rises, it melts into the soil, and then as the temperature drops, the roots are frostbitten. Therefore, in winter, attention should be paid to waterproofing around the root area. It is best to dig a drainage trench around the roots, which can effectively prevent freezing.

4. Root crown

The root crown, that is, the part above the soil, is one of the locations most susceptible to frost damage in daily life, and it is also one of the main points for cold protection. Usually, when people see white powdery substances distributed on this part of some fruit trees, those are methods used to protect against the cold. This is the junction of soil, air, and water vapor, where microorganisms are extremely active, and it is most susceptible to cold air invasion in winter, so this is the primary location for cold protection.

The above are some of the locations where fruit trees are prone to frostbite. Generally speaking, as long as it is not a freezing disaster, fruit trees basically do not need cold protection, and some fruit trees can still resist pure snow. If it is rain and snow, then attention should be paid to cold protection, as fruit trees are relatively prone to frostbite.