Tarrant County winters are unpredictable. Most years bring mild temperatures and minimal tree stress. But when a significant winter event hits — an ice storm, a hard freeze, or the kind of extended cold snap that Texas experienced in February 2021 — the damage to unprepared trees can be severe.

Here's how to prepare your trees in Fort Worth, Mansfield, Arlington, and the surrounding Tarrant County area for winter.

The February 2021 winter storm (Winter Storm Uri) was a wake-up call for DFW homeowners. Temperatures dropped to single digits for an extended period — far outside the normal range for North Texas trees. The result was widespread tree damage throughout Tarrant County: split trunks, broken limbs, and outright death of many trees that had never experienced such cold.

While events like Uri are rare, Tarrant County regularly experiences:

• Ice storms — Freezing rain that coats branches with ice, adding enormous weight and causing limb failure
• Hard freezes — Temperatures below 28°F for extended periods that can damage or kill cold-sensitive species
• Freeze-thaw cycles — Repeated freezing and thawing that stresses bark and root systems

Proper preparation reduces the risk of damage and helps your trees recover faster if damage does occur.

Fall is the ideal time to prune most trees in Tarrant County — after the leaves drop and before the first hard freeze. Key tasks:

• Remove dead branches. Dead wood is the most likely failure point during an ice storm. Remove it before winter.
• Address structural defects. Co-dominant stems, included bark, and large cracks should be addressed before winter adds ice loading stress.
• Crown thin large trees. Reducing the density of the canopy reduces the amount of ice that accumulates during an ice storm.

Important: Complete oak pruning before February. Once February arrives, oak wilt risk begins and pruning should stop until November.

A 3–4 inch layer of mulch around the base of your trees (keeping it away from the trunk) provides several winter benefits:

• Insulates roots from extreme cold
• Retains soil moisture during dry winter periods
• Moderates soil temperature during freeze-thaw cycles

This is especially important for young trees and recently planted trees, which are more vulnerable to root damage from extreme cold.

Moist soil holds heat better than dry soil and provides better insulation for roots. If a hard freeze is forecast and the soil is dry, water your trees thoroughly 24–48 hours before the freeze.

This is particularly important for trees that have been stressed by summer drought — a common situation in Tarrant County.

Young trees (under 3 years old) and cold-sensitive species (crape myrtle, Mexican fan palm, certain citrus) may need additional protection during hard freezes:

• Wrap the trunk with burlap or tree wrap to protect against frost cracking
• Cover the canopy of small trees with frost cloth during extreme cold events
• Avoid plastic — plastic traps moisture and can cause more damage than it prevents

Before winter, walk your property and look for trees with:

• Dead or dying branches that could fail under ice loading
• Cracks or splits in the trunk or major branches
• Fungal growth at the base (indicates internal decay)
• Leaning that has developed recently

Trees with these problems are significantly more likely to fail during a winter storm. Address them before winter arrives.

Don't rush to prune. After a hard freeze, wait 2–3 weeks before pruning damaged branches. Some branches that appear dead may recover as temperatures warm. Premature pruning can remove branches that would have survived.

Remove broken limbs promptly. Broken limbs that are still partially attached are a safety hazard and should be removed as soon as it's safe to do so.

Don't fertilize immediately. Wait until spring to fertilize trees that have been damaged by cold. Fertilizing too early can stimulate growth that is vulnerable to late freezes.

Call Tree Crew for emergency response. If a winter storm damages a tree on your Tarrant County property, Tree Crew provides 24/7 emergency response throughout Fort Worth, Mansfield, Arlington, and the surrounding area.

Tree Crew recommends a pre-winter tree assessment for Tarrant County homeowners with large or mature trees. We'll identify problems before they become winter emergencies.

Call (972) 999-3627 or contact us online to schedule your assessment.