Storm Damage to Trees

Unfortunately, severe weather will continue to happen in the winter or the summer; we live in Kansas, and while we can't control the weather, we can have the tools to handle the aftermath. Your first priority should be any dangling limbs or limbs barely connected to the tree. These limbs can easily fall and hurt people or property, and they should be removed ASAP before you do anything else with the tree. After you have removed the hazards, it's time to take a break and deal with other issues. The trees, for the most part, have stood for years, and waiting a few days or weeks will not hurt them in the long run. Often, our first thought is to get the tree taken care of immediately, and while that's important if the tree or branches pose a danger to humans or property, general pruning can wait.

The second step is to assess the damage done and determine the best steps to handle it. Tree damage can range from small broken limbs to significant structural damage. Once you have checked the area for safety concerns (powerlines, dangling limbs, etc), look over the tree. Trees that are missing less than 50% of their canopy and have minor damage to the main trunk or major limbs will survive and be fine with some pruning. Once a tree has lost more than 50% of its canopy, it becomes trickier to determine whether it can be salvaged. If the main structure of the tree is still intact (trunk and main limbs), then the tree could potentially be saved, but that depends on the sentimental value of the tree, how much it would cost to replace it, and the tree's health before the storm. Trees like the one above must be removed with the main structure being broken.

Once you have assessed the damage to the tree and determined what needs to be pruned out, it's time to clean up the tree. Before doing that, first ask yourself if you feel comfortable doing the pruning, how high up in the tree you have to get, and how big of limbs you need to prune. Hiring a professional arborist for pruning high in the tree and dealing with large limbs is best. When pruning branches over 3" in diameter, I recommend using the three-cut method to prevent tearing the bark (see photo to the right). The first cut is on the bottom side of the limb, about a foot or so from the trunk, preventing the bark from tearing when the limb falls off. The second cut from the top is 2-3 inches beyond the first cut and goes through the limb. This cut removes most of the weight from the branch and makes it easier to handle. The last cut is just beyond the branch collar, where there is a slight swelling or wrinkle in the bark on the tree. This collar contains the cells to heal the branch after the cut. If bark was torn when limbs broke off during the storm, prune off the loose bark and bring it back to where it is solidly attached to encourage growth and healing. Wound treatments are unnecessary when pruning branches and, in some cases, can slow the plant's healing.

Commonly, trees will be blown over in storms, and while large trees that have fallen over cannot be saved, smaller trees with at least ½ of their roots still in the ground could be pulled back upright and staked. Before the tree can be pulled upright, remove some soil from the hole so the roots are below ground level. Cover the roots with dirt as needed once the tree is pulled back up. Stake the tree using 2-3 lines. After a disaster and a tree has been damaged, it is very common for people to want to pamper their tree and give it extra attention while it is recovering. This can cause more issues for our trees. If your tree is in your yard and you are fertilizing your lawn, it is getting all the nutrients it needs, and extra fertilizer will not help it recover. Most trees will survive without additional water. However, if we go into a dry spell, watering your tree once a week or so can be beneficial, but if you are already watering your lawn, your tree will be just fine. Our trees are resilient, and very little care is needed after a storm to help them survive. Watching damaged trees for several years after the storm is essential, as insects and diseases are more likely to infect trees that are stressed from the damage. While there are chemicals you could apply, they likely would do more harm than good in the long run. If you do start seeing an issue, first get it diagnosed so you can treat it properly, then treat it.

 

Have questions? Contact our office where our Horticulture Extension Agent will assist you with questions.

Phone: (316) 321-9660

Email: callae@ksu.edu