Raking up the last of the leaves feels like the end of yard work for the year, but trees can actually benefit from proper care during the dormant season. This means that you’ll want to check your trees for weak limbs, plan your pruning, scout for overwintering pests, and protect evergreens and young trees from winter injury before Northern Virginia’s ice, wind, and freeze-thaw swings arrive.
We’ll walk you through each step, including which jobs you can handle yourself and which ones are best left to the pros.
What Happens During Tree Dormancy?
Dormancy helps trees survive winter by slowing growth, conserving resources, and protecting sensitive tissues from cold temperatures.
- Deciduous trees conserve resources. As days shorten and temperatures cool, trees shed their leaves, store nutrients, and protect next spring’s growth inside dormant buds.
- Root growth slows. Roots may continue growing while soil conditions remain favorable, making fall an important time for root care.
- Evergreens remain active. Although their growth and photosynthesis slow, evergreens can continue losing moisture through their foliage, making them vulnerable to winter conditions.
Dormant Season Tree Care Tasks Homeowners Can Carry Out
Homeowners can handle many dormant season jobs with a few basic supplies.
Walk Your Property & Look for Structural Warning Signs
Before snow and ice arrive, walk your property, look up, and check each tree for weak points.
A bare canopy shows you exactly how each tree is built, and winter is when that structure faces its toughest test. A coating of ice adds tremendous weight to every branch, and the limbs most likely to fail are usually the ones that already have a weak point.
A few warning signs are easy to spot from the ground and worth noting before snow and ice put them to the test.
- Dead or Hanging Branches: Deadwood is already weakened, and broken limbs caught in the canopy can fall without warning.
- Cracks & Splits: Cracks in the trunk or a split where two stems meet can widen under a heavy load.
- Tight, V-Shaped Unions: Two similar-sized stems growing close together often trap bark between them, which weakens the attachment.
- Limbs Over Your Home: Branches that reach over your roof, driveway, or walkways raise the stakes of any weakness above.
Some trees are more prone to these problems than others. For example, the Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), including the familiar Bradford pear cultivar (Pyrus calleryana ‘Bradford’), is an invasive species common throughout Northern Virginia and especially likely to split at its crowded branch unions.
Water Deeply Until the Ground Freezes
Water deeply during dry spells until the ground freezes, especially evergreens and newly planted trees. Evergreens keep losing moisture through their foliage all winter, and frozen soil makes that water hard to replace. You can even water evergreens through the winter whenever the ground thaws.
Wrap Young Trunks to Prevent Sunscald
Wrap the trunks of young and thin-barked trees in fall and take the wrap off once spring arrives. Thin-barked and newly planted trees can split when winter sun warms the trunk and temperatures plunge again at night.
Shield Evergreens from Winter Burn
Set up a burlap screen on the windward side to shelter exposed evergreens from drying winter winds. Boxwoods (Buxus spp.), hollies (Ilex spp.), and other broadleaf evergreens can turn brown when they lose more moisture than they can replace, a problem known as winter burn.
Protect Young Trees from Deer
Put fencing or trunk guards around young trees to protect them from deer. Deer stay busy all winter, browsing buds and twigs and rubbing young trunks with their antlers, and deer protection treatments can add another layer of defense.
Scrape Off Spotted Lanternfly Egg Masses
Scrape spotted lanternfly egg masses off bark, stones, and outdoor furniture before they hatch in the spring. Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses are gray and mud-like. Scrape them off with a putty knife or card, pressing firmly to crush the eggs.
Destroy Spongy Moth Egg Masses Before Mid-March
Scrape spongy moth egg masses into a bag or container and destroy them before they hatch, which can happen as early as mid-March. Spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) egg masses are tan and fuzzy, and each can hold up to 1,000 eggs.
Clip & Destroy Bagworm Bags
Clip bagworm bags off your evergreens and destroy them, since eggs can still hatch from bags left on the ground. The brown, spindle-shaped bags of bagworms (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) hang from evergreens all winter and hold next year’s eggs.
Brush Heavy Snow Off Shrubs, But Leave Ice Alone
If heavy, wet snow is weighing down shrubs or small trees you can reach from the ground, sweep it off gently with a broom, using an upward motion. But ice is a different story. Let it melt on its own, since frozen branches are brittle and knocking ice loose usually causes more breakage than it prevents.
Go Easy on Road Salt & De-Icers
Use sand or a salt-free traction product near trees and shrubs whenever possible. Road salt is great for your driveway and rough on your trees. Salt spray from roads and runoff from treated walkways can build up in the soil and damage your plants and trees.
Dormant Season Tree Care Tasks That Are Better Left to Pros
Some dormant season jobs call for professional equipment, training, and a trained eye, so they’re best handled by an ISA Certified Arborist.
Arborist Tree Evaluations
Have an arborist evaluate what your trees need while the leaves are down, even if any necessary pruning waits until later in winter. Bare branches make structural problems easy to see, and an arborist can tell which ones need attention before ice and wind put them to the test.
Dormant Pruning
You may want to schedule pruning for some of your trees.
Winter can be the best time to prune some trees, but the ideal timing varies by species. Some trees can be pruned as soon as they go dormant, while others do better if you wait until after they bloom. Dead, damaged, or hazardous branches can come out whenever you find them.
A few common Northern Virginia trees and their best pruning windows include the following.
| Tree | When to Prune | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Elms (Ulmus spp.) | Dormant season | Fresh cuts during the growing season attract the beetles that spread Dutch elm disease |
| Maples (Acer spp.) and birches (Betula spp.) | Dormant season | Late-winter cuts may “bleed” sap, which is mostly cosmetic |
| Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.) | Late winter to early spring | They bloom on new growth, so timely pruning protects summer flowers; fall cuts can reduce cold hardiness |
| Dogwoods (Cornus spp.), eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), cherries (Prunus spp.), and magnolias (Magnolia spp.) | Right after flowering | They set flower buds the year before, so dormant pruning removes spring blooms |
If you’re unsure what a tree needs, an RTEC Treecare arborist can map out routine pruning during a dormant-season visit.
Cabling & Bracing
If you have a tree with a weak union or a heavy limb worth keeping, you may want to ask your arborist about cabling and bracing. Many structural problems can be mitigated while keeping the tree, and these systems add supplemental support.
Cables and braces require professional installation and periodic inspection, so they’re a job for an ISA Certified Arborist.
Dormant Oil Treatments
Let an arborist identify what’s overwintering on your trees before deciding whether anything needs treatment. Dormant oil smothers overwintering pests such as mites, armored scale insects, and aphid eggs. It’s applied before buds break, on days mild enough for the oil to work.
Some trees and shrubs are sensitive to oil, and the wrong product or timing can injure them. An arborist can tell whether your trees need insect treatments and when to apply them.
Tree Removal
When a tree’s defects are too severe to manage safely, removal may be the right call. Not only can arborists better visualize a tree’s structure during the winter, which can make the job safer, but there is less debris to deal with, as deciduous trees will have shed their leaves.
Soil Testing & Fertilization
Test your soil before fertilizing, since trees don’t automatically need nutrients before winter. If they do, fertilizing after leaf drop avoids stimulating tender new growth before cold weather.
Root Collar Excavation
Have an arborist check the root collar of any tree that was planted too deep, sits under years of piled-up mulch, or is declining without an obvious cause. Root collar excavation removes soil and mulch from the base of a tree so the root collar, where the roots meet the trunk, is exposed to air again.
Spotted Warning Signs in Your Trees?
Not sure which of these your trees need? RTEC Treecare’s ISA Certified Arborists can evaluate your trees and build a dormant season plan, from pruning and cabling to root collar excavation and Plant Health Care.
Your Dormant Season Tree Care Timeline
Dormant season care falls into three short time periods, with different tasks being appropriate in different windows.
| Window | Your To-Do List | Good Jobs for a Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Late fall (November–December) | Water during dry spells until the ground freezes, wrap young trunks, and set up deer guards and burlap screens | Structural assessments, tree removal, and root collar excavation |
| Midwinter (January–February) | Brush heavy snow off shrubs, leave ice alone, water evergreens during thaws, and scout for egg masses and bagworm bags | Storm damage and hazardous limbs |
| Late winter (before bud break) | Destroy spongy moth egg masses before mid-March and remove trunk wraps once spring arrives | Routine and structural pruning, plus dormant oil where it’s needed |
Frequently Asked Questions About Dormant Season Tree Care
Here are answers to a few questions we hear from Northern Virginia homeowners once the leaves come down.
Is winter the best time to prune trees in Northern Virginia?
Often, yes. Late winter, just before buds break, is ideal for many trees. Spring-flowering trees like dogwoods are the exception and are best pruned right after they bloom.
When do trees go dormant in Northern Virginia?
Most deciduous trees become dormant after their leaves drop in fall and stay that way until buds break in spring. Shortening days are the main trigger.
Should I water trees in winter?
Sometimes. During dry spells, water deeply whenever the ground isn’t frozen, especially evergreens and newly planted trees.
When should dormant oil be applied?
When needed, dormant oil should be applied before buds break, on a mild day when temperatures stay above 40°F. Because some plants are sensitive to oil, it’s best to let an arborist choose the product and timing.
Do young trees need trunk wrap for winter?
Young, newly planted, and thin-barked trees can benefit from trunk wrap to prevent sunscald. Put it on in fall and take it off in spring.
Is winter a good time to remove a tree?
It can be. Bare branches make it easier to assess a tree and plan the work. Hazardous trees, however, should come down as soon as possible, whatever the season.
Should I fertilize my trees before winter?
Not automatically. A soil test shows whether your trees need nutrients. If they do, fertilizing after leaf drop avoids stimulating tender new growth before cold weather.
Don’t Wait for the First Ice Storm
Schedule an expert assessment with RTEC Treecare. Our ISA Certified Arborists will check your trees for weak limbs, pests, and winter risks, then give you a clear plan for what to handle now and what can wait until late winter.
Contact RTEC Treecare to schedule an evaluation today so your trees head into spring strong.
Sources & References
- Virginia Cooperative Extension – “A Guide to Successful Pruning: Deciduous Tree Pruning Calendar”
Virginia pruning timing by species, including which trees to avoid pruning in fall, late winter, or spring.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/47772 - Virginia Cooperative Extension – “A Guide to Successful Pruning: Shrub Pruning Calendar”
Explains that dormant pruning removes blooms on plants that flower on the previous season’s wood.
https://pwcva.gov/assets/2021-04/001763.pdf - Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia – “Master Gardeners and Tree Stewards Work Together at Shade Garden”
Virginia Cooperative Extension program noting that tree pruning should generally occur in late winter, just before spring growth.
https://mgnv.org/demonstration-gardens/shade/master-gardeners-and-tree-stewards-work-together-at-shade-garden/ - Virginia Cooperative Extension – “September Tips: Trees, Shrubs and Groundcovers”
Notes that roots stay active until soil temperatures drop below 40°F.
https://frederick.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/albemarle_ext_vt_edu/files/hort-tip-sheets/9-14-trees-shrubs-groundcovers.pdf - Casey Trees – “The Science of the Seasons: How Trees Weather the Winter”
DC nonprofit’s overview of dormancy: nutrient storage, leaf drop, protected buds, and slowed evergreens.
https://caseytrees.org/2026/01/the-science-of-the-seasons-how-trees-weather-the-winter/ - University of Georgia Cooperative Extension – “Tree Dormancy”
Explains that day length triggers dormancy and chilling needs prevent leaf-out during warm spells.
https://site.extension.uga.edu/townsandunionag/2020/11/tree-dormancy - Virginia Tech News – “Callery Pear Trees’ Spring Blossoms Represent Biodiversity Loss in Virginia Ecosystems”
Covers Bradford pear’s bark inclusion and branch failure, and Callery pear’s spread in Virginia.
https://news.vt.edu/articles/2021/03/callery-pear-trees–spring-blossoms-represent-biodiversity-loss-.html - Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation – “Virginia Invasive Plant Species List”
The state’s official list, which includes Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) as invasive.
https://dcr.am.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/document/nh-invasive-plant-list-2024.pdf - Iowa State University Extension – “How to Prevent Ice and Snow Damage on Trees and Shrubs”
Covers ice storm damage, why not to knock ice off branches, and piling shoveled snow on shrubs.
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-prevent-ice-and-snow-damage-trees-and-shrubs - University of Maryland Extension (Maryland Grows) – “January Tips and Tasks”
Regional advice to sweep heavy snow off shrubs with an upward motion.
https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2020/01/01/january-tips-and-tasks/ - Purdue University Extension – “Tree Support Systems” (FNR-550-W)
Explains cabling and bracing for weak structure and recommends an ISA Certified Arborist for installation.
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-550-w.pdf - NC State Extension – “Native Elm Bark Beetle”
Advises against pruning elms from April through August, when beetles that spread Dutch elm disease seek fresh wounds.
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/native-elm-bark-beetle - University of Georgia Cooperative Extension – “Crape Myrtle Culture”
Explains that crape myrtles bloom on new growth and are best pruned in late winter to early spring.
https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/publications/C944/crape-myrtle-culture/ - Purdue Landscape Report – “Dormant Applications of Horticultural Oil Can Help Control Troublesome Pests”
Lists the overwintering pests dormant oil controls and when to apply it before bud break.
https://purduelandscapereport.org/article/dormant-applications-horticultural-oil-can-help-control-troublesome-pests - University of Tennessee Extension – “General Comments about the Use of Horticultural Oil”
Covers dormant oil temperature guidance and why some plants need more refined oils.
https://plantsciences.tennessee.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/10/Horticultural_Oil_Handout.pdf - Virginia Cooperative Extension – “Homeowner Suggestions for Managing Spotted Lanternfly”
Covers identifying and destroying spotted lanternfly egg masses in winter.
https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/ENTO/ento-586/ento-586.html - Virginia Cooperative Extension – “Spongy Moth Management for Homeowners”
Covers spongy moth egg masses, which hold up to 1,000 eggs and can hatch by mid-March.
https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2811/2811-1021/2811-1021.html - Virginia Cooperative Extension – “Bagworm”
Explains that bagworm eggs overwinter in bags, which should be destroyed after removal.
https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2808/2808-1008/2808-1008.html - Iowa State University Extension – “Protecting Trees and Shrubs in Winter”
Covers winter burn on evergreens, deer browse, winter watering, and trunk wrap for sunscald.
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/protecting-trees-and-shrubs-winter - University of Maryland Extension – “Salt or Fertilizer Damage to Trees”
Regional guidance on recognizing de-icing salt injury, including browned evergreen needles.
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/salt-or-fertilizer-damage-trees - NC State Extension – “Plant Health Alert: Excavate Root Collars to Save Trees”
Explains root collar excavation, how buried root collars lead to girdling roots, and why maples are especially prone.
https://henderson.ces.ncsu.edu/2024/09/plant-health-alert-excavate-root-collars-to-save-trees
