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Cass County Extension |
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Cass County Extension |
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Repairing Storm Damaged Trees |
Ice storms and high winds severely damaged many trees. The ice adds considerable weigh to tree limbs and the winds twist, break, split or even topple trees. Both evergreen and deciduous trees can be damaged.
If the main trunk has been broken or the tree has fallen with more than half the roots exposed, the best plan of action is to remove the tree. Broken branches should be pruned off. When removing a branch cut back to the nearest side branch or back to the main trunk. Never leave a ragged stub or cut right flush up to the trunk. Instead, cut beyond the branch collar (just beyond the thickened junction of the trunk and branch). The smaller the wound the quicker it will heal. Do not cover the wound with a pruning paint or wound dressing. Research has shown that these substances can cause as much harm as they do good.
Small trees which are leaning or completely blown over can be reset.
Contact a licensed arborist and have them evaluate your tree before you attempt to repair any tree.
In general it is best to reset only smaller trees, since larger trees will always be weak and may fall again, perhaps damaging property. Leaning trees should be repaired as soon as possible. Once trees have been straightened up they will require anchoring and bracing with padded guy wires for up to two years. After resetting, water the tree well and keep it watered during dry periods.
Taking Care of Trees After a Storm
The late spring storms that blew through the region recently caused quite a bit of damage to trees in cities and towns, in individual yards and in rural shelterbelts. Injury from storms is unfortunate and usually unpreventable. However, there are things homeowners can do in the aftermath of a storm that will help the trees on the road to recovery.
"Before beginning any tree work, several words of caution are in order," according to Joe Zeleznik, North Dakota State University Extension Service forester. "Look for power lines that may have come down during the storm. Don't touch them or anything that is contacting them. Fences, broken branches and even pruning tools can conduct electricity, causing a worker to indirectly contact the power line. Look for hanging branches that may present a hazard. These 'widow makers' might be caught up in the remaining tree crowns or in power lines."
What can a homeowner do to properly care for their trees after a storm? "The first thing to do is prune out any dead or broken branches," Zeleznik says. "Proper pruning will allow the trees to recover more quickly and will also minimize the chances of infection by insects or diseases."
If bark is torn away from the tree, use a knife or sharp chisel to carefully trim the edge back to where it contacts the tree, where the inner bark becomes green. Don't enlarge the wound beyond this point. The living tissue just below the bark is vital to re-establishing the tree's water- and nutrient-conducting system.
To learn more about proper pruning techniques, get a copy of the NDSU Extension Bulletin "Pruning Trees and Shrubs" from your local Extension office or online at
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/trees/h1036w.htm.Don't take on jobs that are too big, Zeleznik advises. If large limbs are broken or hanging, or if high climbing or overhead chainsaw work is needed, then you may want to hire a professional arborist. Also, don't overprune the tree. It is okay if the tree's appearance isn't quite perfect. The tree will fill in the bare spots fairly quickly. "Most importantly, don't top the tree," Zeleznik says. "Some people may encourage you to cut back all of the main branches with the mistaken idea that this reduction in branch length will help avoid breakage in future storms. What really happens when a tree is topped, though, is that a lot of weakly attached branches will grow back, and these will be even more likely to break during a future storm. Also, topping removes a lot of leaves, which the tree needs for food and energy as it re-grows."
Take the time to do it right. There's no need to have everything cleaned up within a few days. Improper pruning after a storm can cause more damage than the storm itself. And if there's a lot of work to do or if the trees and branches are too large for you to clean up by yourself, consider hiring a professional arborist. Here are several steps to help you find qualified tree-care specialists:
* Make sure that someone you're considering hiring is from an established business in the community and that they're actually working for the company, not moonlighting.
* Ask to see current certificates of insurance that show they are covered for property damage, personal liability and workers compensation.
* Ideally, the individual will be a member of a professional organization such as the North Dakota Urban and Community Forestry Association (NDUCFA), the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA).
* Get more than one estimate, if possible.
* Get it in writing. Be clear as to who removes limbs and debris from the property, and whether or not the price includes stump removal and cleanup. Also, note if the estimate considers the possible value the tree may have as firewood or chips, either to you or if sold to others.
"Most importantly, don't be pressured into making a decision," Zeleznik says. "It's already unfortunate that trees were damaged by the storm. It would be more unfortunate if they were damaged further by improper post-storm care."
For more information on proper tree care, contact Zeleznik at
(701) 231-8143 or go to the ISA's Web page at
http://www.treesaregood.com/.###
NDSU Agriculture Communication
Source: Joe Zeleznik, (701) 231-8143, joseph.zeleznik@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu
This page was last updated May 2004
| Todd Weinmann, Extension Horticulturist & Master Gardener Coordinator |
| Phone: (701) 241-5707 |
| E-mail: tweinman@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
