Caring for Damaged Trees After Storms

Storms, like rainfall and sunshine, are an integral part of summer. Thunderstorms allow the atmosphere to release pent-up energy, and lightning strikes in the wild can knock down dead trees. Though storms serve an environmental purpose, they can wreak havoc on your trees in Newton, MA.

This summer, if storms injure or damage your trees, you might find yourself wishing you knew how to care for injured trees while in the midst of your storm cleanup. Fortunately, this article will cover damaged tree care in the aftermath of a storm.

Survey the damage from a distance

Before you begin your storm cleanup, stand back and look at and around the tree or trees that you are going to care for. Depending on the severity of the storm, there could be broken branches that are still wedged up in the tree, downed power lines, tree branches caught in power lines or any number of other dangerous hazards.

By looking at the damage from a distance, you should be able to assess and identify any safety hazards. When in doubt, leave it to the professionals, as they are trained for situations like this, and your property is not worth your life.

Cut off smaller broken branches that are still attached to the tree

This is one step that you as the homeowner can take once you have fully assessed any safety risks. You’ll want to cut off any broken portions that may be jagged and sticking out of the tree, as leaving them there could introduce harmful decaying agents. Branches that are smaller should be pruned at the point where they join larger branches. Any large broken branches should be left to the experts in damaged tree care in Newton, MA.

Fix any ripped or torn bark

A violent storm has the potential to rip chunks of bark from your tree. If that happens, it’s important that you remedy this, because leaving it bare would provide breeding grounds for damaging fungi or insects. You can use a sharp knife or a chisel to smooth over areas where bark has been torn away, but try not to cut too deep. Take care to limit the exposure of the tree’s inner green bark, as this serves as the vein system of the tree and needs to be preserved.

Do not over-prune your trees

The selective removal of only a few branches may leave your tree looking oddly shaped or asymmetrical. You may be tempted to cut more branches than necessary in order to make the tree look nicer. This is a mistake, and is bad for your trees. If you’ve made the correct cuts in an appropriate location and manner, the branches will grow back fully over time. A good rule of thumb is that if you’re not sure, don’t cut the branch. You can always prune it later, but you can’t reattach it once it’s cut.

Call for an estimate today

After you’ve done all you can during your storm cleanup, it’s possible there’s still more work to do. If that’s the case, give us a call at BBD Tree Service. We’re the experts when it comes to damaged tree care in Newton, MA, and we have the training and experience to ensure that your trees will get the proper care they need and deserve.

Categorised in: Tree Maintenance

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