Question: How important is it that I wrap the trunks of my new trees?

Answer: Very important for some. Shumard red oaks, for example, will almost never develop borers and other trunk problems unless they are exposed to extreme sun the first year or two after they have been transplanted. Because they have no bark at that point, and because they’ve been protected from the sun while they were growing in the nursery, they’re highly vulnerable. Use the paper tree wraps you can find in garden centers, and wrap them from the ground up to the lowest limbs. Remove the wrap after a couple of years, that is, once the tree’s canopy shades its trunk sufficiently. Most shade trees will benefit from this wrapping. It can also help ward off rodents and the damage they do to the trunks during the winter.