Winter can feel quiet in New York City, but for street trees, it is a critical season of rest and protection. While trees may appear dormant, they are conserving energy, strengthening their root systems, and preparing for spring growth. Because street trees grow in challenging urban conditions, winter care plays an important role in helping them survive and continue providing shade, cleaner air, and cooler streets year-round.
During the colder months, street trees face several challenges. Soil can become compacted from foot traffic and snow removal, tree beds often collect trash, and road salt can dry out soil and damage roots. As mentioned in our Street Tree Care Guide, healthy soil is essential because it allows roots to absorb oxygen and water even when temperatures drop. Without this support, trees struggle to provide key environmental benefits like stormwater management and air quality improvement. Although visible growth slows in winter, tree roots continue to grow beneath the surface, storing nutrients that fuel new leaves and branches in spring. This resting period makes trees more vulnerable to salt exposure, soil compaction, and neglect, which is why simple care during winter can make a lasting difference.
Mulch helps protect street trees in winter by insulating soil, holding moisture, and shielding roots from extreme temperatures, while also reducing compaction and salt damage in tree beds. Simple care, like keeping tree beds clear of trash and avoiding piled snow or mulch against the trunk, helps trees stay healthy.
Here are some steps in the winter you can take to care for street trees:
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Keep tree beds clear. Pick up trash, leaves, and debris from tree beds so water and air can reach the soil, especially after storms or snow melt.
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Use mulch to protect soil and roots. Mulch helps insulate roots, retain moisture, and reduce salt damage during winter. You can source free mulch through NYC Parks’ MulchFest events, where holiday trees are turned into mulch, or from community sites like Greenwood Cemetery, which offers a public mulch pile for neighborhood use.
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Reuse holiday tree branches thoughtfully. Branches from natural Christmas trees can be laid flat around tree beds to help absorb salt and protect soil through the coldest months, as recommended in our Street Tree Care Guide.
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Avoid common winter damage. Do not pile snow mixed with salt onto tree beds, and never apply mulch directly against the tree trunk, which can cause rot and disease.
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Organize care beyond winter. Winter is a great time to plan ahead by organizing neighbors and friends to care for street trees in the spring. Big Reuse’s Street Tree Care Guide offers ideas for volunteer recruitment, event planning, and the tools needed to support trees year-round.
After the holidays, Christmas trees can continue supporting tree health through NYC Parks’ MulchFest, which runs from December 26, 2025 through January 11, 2026. During this time, NYC residents can bring their natural Christmas trees to designated Mulchfest locations, where they are recycled into mulch and reused to protect soil and tree roots during the coldest months. Chipping Weekend takes place on Saturday, January 10 and Sunday, January 11, from 10am to 2pm, when trees are chipped on site and residents can take home free mulch for their own gardens or to help protect nearby street trees. MulchFest locations and details can be found on the NYC Parks website, making it easy to drop off your tree at a park near you.
For those who can’t make it to a MulchFest location, Christmas trees can also be placed at the curb on your regular curbside composting collection day (same as your recycling day), where they will be collected with your food scraps and yard waste.
Written by NYSERDA Fellow Tatiana Guerra