When storm season approaches, you must storm-proof your trees to protect your home and property. Doing so doesn't just protect your trees but assists in reducing cleaning and maintenance costs after a storm passes. There are many ways to storm-proof your trees, like pruning and root barriers. These measures can improve your trees' strength and stability when done correctly. Here are some helpful tips on preparing your trees for stormy weather.
Tree Pruning To Remove Diseased Sections
Pruning seems like a strange way to storm-proof your trees, but it can help you withstand storms when you do it right. Properly pruned young trees can develop a strong central trunk, for example, resulting in a much more robust and stable base than older ones. Why are we emphasizing appropriate pruning? Doing so eliminates dead or weak branches while boosting the growth of your trees' structure. This, in turn, reduces the number of units broken during storms. Over time, it can also make your trees more resistant to storm damage. Of course, the effectiveness of tree pruning depends entirely on how and when it's done. As good as pruning can be, it can also adversely affect your tree's health if done incorrectly. That's why it's always recommended to seek the help of arborists when pruning your trees, especially if you need help with how to do it properly.
Anchoring
Another good way to see your trees in one piece is to anchor them with stakes, especially for trees that are still young and growing. Install a few stakes around the trunk and connect it to the young tree with rope or twine just before a storm arrives. This will augment the tree's stability and prevent it from blowing over during a storm. When anchoring your tree with stakes, do remember to leave enough room for the tree to bend with the wind. Anchoring a tree too tightly without leaving room to turn can do more harm than good, making it more vulnerable to being blown. After the storm settles, remove the stakes to avoid long-term effects on your tree's health.
Trunk Protection
If you're expecting a significant storm to come your way, you can provide added protection by wrapping your tree with a protective material such as burlap or a row cover. This can help protect your tree from debris and elements that may fly around during storms and other extreme weather.
Roots Should Be Strong
The roots of a tree are crucial to the overall strength and stability of a tree. These anchor trees to the ground, so it's only natural for trees with solid and deep roots to be better at tolerating storms than trees with weak or shallow roots. If you want to keep the roots of your trees deeply grounded, then it's best to lessen activities that may implicate the soundness of the soil surrounding your trees. Factors include excavations, construction work, and other activities that can affect the soil system of your trees. The stronger the roots of your trees are, the more likely your trees will hold their ground during storms.
Contact Elliott Tree To Help Protect & Maintain Your Trees
New England can be prone to stormy and unpredictable weather. Call Elliot Tree to assist you with storm-proofing your trees. We can assess the situation and protect your trees and landscape during the harsh winter. Remember these tips to ensure your tree's health, and contact the tree experts at Elliott Tree for more information on proactive preparation.
