Natural disasters happen all over the world. Things like heavy rains, snow storms, and strong winds can happen that result in a lot of tree damage. After these storms have passed, there needs to be a clean up effort in order to get everything back to a safe and tidy state. Depending on the severity and damage caused, there could be a lot of broken branches or trees that have fallen down. Sometimes the only thing to do is completely remove any damaged or dangerous trees. But there are some cases where tree removal is not actually necessary, and trees can be saved. The objective is to save as many trees as possible, so the community can have a beautiful landscape and benefit from all that trees have to offer. Our team at Five Star Tree Services wants to go over what to do after a bad storm to save your trees instead of removing them.
Tree Rehabilitation
Safety is Most Important
The first thing you need to do after a storm is go out when it is safe and evaluate the situation. Don’t get too close to any trees unless you can determine they are safe. Scan the surroundings and look closely for any dangers or risks. These can include things like partially fallen branches, fallen trees, low hanging wires, etc. When further inspecting your trees, never go directly under them in case something falls. Never touch any wires or cables tangled in your trees. If you must, cut branches to free the tree and call a professional to help with the wires. To protect yourself from falling branches, wear a hard hat and gloves when cutting things. The best way to stay completely safe is to call a professional arborist.
Never Work Alone
Trying to untangle and prune a tree is something that requires multiple people. This is not something one person can do on their own. In order to get this job done safely and successfully, this will need to involve a collective effort. You should always hire a professional arborist for large, hanging or broken branches. This will ensure it gets done safely and there won’t be any damage done to your property or injured people. Professional arborists can also pinpoint other underlying risks that you might not notice or know about.
Dealing With Broken Branches
When a tree branch breaks or it gets a cut through the bark, this is the equivalent to a person getting a wound or cut. When a tree has an open wound, this leaves it susceptible to decay or infection. Depending on the severity, it can mean the tree’s health will decline and can even lead to death. If broken branches are left in the tree, these can fall at any time and potentially injure anyone under the tree. To make sure these preventable injuries don’t happen, remove all broken and hanging branches as soon as you find them. With proper removal of broken branches and correct pruning, you can save your trees from further damage and infection.
Bark Repair
Any cuts in the bark of your tree can invite fungi, insects, and disease. Once a bad storm has passed and you notice your trees have a lot of cuts on them, smooth the bark with a knife or chisel to help protect it from getting infected. But you need to be careful to not remove too much bark, this includes the cambium or inner bark. These are very fragile layers that carry nourishment and water through the tree. You can damage the tree more if you over scrape.
Careful When Pruning
If you prune a tree after a bad stork, chances are that it will appear bare and not aesthetically pleasing to look at. Make sure to only prune the damaged branches, don’t over prune healthy branches that survived the storm. The purpose of pruning after a storm is not to shape it or make it look aesthetically pleasing, it’s to remove damaged, broken, or hanging branches to make it safe. Over time, your tree will regrow its branches and foliage. If you are not sure how to properly prune your tree, consult an arborist for assistance.
Tree Recovery
In order to protect itself from fungal invasions and bacterial infections, trees immediately seal off injured areas with fresh bark. But when you have a tree damaged by a storm, all the cuts and damages can be too much for it to handle. This is when they might need a helping hand from their caring people. You can add extra fertilizer, prune damaged branches, apply wound dressings and cavity fillings to help you tree recover. Adding more nourishment will help your tree with its recovery. Your professional arborist can help give pointers on how you can help your trees.
How Five Star Tree Services Can Help
Not all trees damaged by a bad storm have to immediately be cut down, there are things you can do to save them and help them recover and thrive. As long as it’s not a complete hazard, your tree should be able to be rehabilitated. In the event of a bad storm, our team at Five Star Tree Services can help you with our emergency tree services in Richmond Hill! Call us at (416) 990-3355!