Early Snow Weighs on Leaves
Oh no! My favorite tree is broken all to pieces - it looks like it was hit by a tornado!
The recent record setting snowfall many of us experienced this October wreaked havoc on trees and shrubs, not to mention power lines and poles throughout the Mid-Atlantic and New England.
The damage to deciduous trees was especially devastating because this wet, heavy snow came well before the beautiful fall foliage had dropped from the trees.
Generally, snow doesn't cause significant damage to deciduous trees because it typically comes when the trees are leafless and most of the snow falls through the branches to the ground below. This particular snow sat heavily on the leaf-covered trees, bending and snapping branches and toppling whole trees in some cases. The devastation was mind boggling – like a war zone some said!
This type of damage to trees and shrubs can also be caused by heavy wind, ice storms, and even heavy rain so the tips presented here can be helpful in these situations, too.
What should you do for your trees and shrubs
in the aftermath of a destructive storm like this?
The most important thing is to be safe!
- Don't go near trees or branches that have fallen on power lines.
- Watch for large broken branches that are hanging precariously and could fall in a gust of wind.
- Assess the damage to determine if it is something that you can handle yourself or if you need to call in a professional tree service for help. Large limbs can be extremely heavy (hundreds of pounds) and dangerous!
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Avoid any trimming or pruning that necessitates getting up on a ladder. This can be extremely dangerous especially if there is snow or ice on the ground. - When using a pole saw or trimmer, be mindful of any telephone or power lines and stay well away from these. It's very easy to lose track of where they are in relation to where you are cutting! Better yet, leave this pruning to a professional.
Now what do I do?
The first thing you need to do is evaluate the damage to your tree. Study the tree from all angles and determine the best way to proceed. Severe damage may warrent a call to a professional tree service like Bartlett Tree Experts, while more minor damage can often be tackled by the homeowner.
Removing broken branches safely and with minimal additional damage to the tree
Broken branches are one of the most common types of storm damage to trees, whether by wind, snow, or heavy rain. The three D's of pruning dictates that you can remove these broken branches at any time regardless of when they occur. This is mainly because the ragged wound left from the break can be a entrance point for insects and disease.
Remember, hire a professional to remove very large branches or those that you can't safely reach from the ground. Ladders can be very dangerous for pruning!
- Make clean cuts by using a sharp tool – a clean cut speeds callus formation and healing.
- When removing a branch, make the cut close to the stem just outside the natural branch collar (usually you can see a ridge). The branch collar or bark ridge is an area/ridge at the base of a branch that contains cells that multiply quickly to close off and heal a wound. If you cut the branch inside
this branch collar, you hinder the natural healing properties of the tree. - Do not leave stubs. Leaving a stub is almost worse than cutting the branch too short. Stubs will die back and leave the tree open to disease and insect damage. The tree cannot heal over a stub.
- Smaller branches, under 2" in diameter, can be removed with one cut using good quality shears or loppers.
- Remove larger branches in sections. This takes the weight off the break and makes the final pruning cuts easier and safer.
- Once you have a shorter section to remove, use the three-cut method to remove the branch completely. The three-cut method prevents tearing or stripping of the bark as the final section is removed.
- There is generally no need to use any kind of wound paint. Painting the wound can inhibit the natural healing of the tree, however, sometimes larger cuts can be coated with orange shellac.
If a branch has broken off the tree and peeled the bark down on the trunk in the process, remove the branch using the procedure above and then trim off any loose bark.
Ways to deal with split branches or trunks.
Severe damage to trees
In many cases, depending on the species of tree, younger trees can bounce back from fairly severe damage - up to 40% loss of their branches. These smaller trees should be pruned to remove damaged branches, making new clean cuts back to a branch collar. If just the tip of a branch is damaged, prune the branch back to an outward facing branch or bud.
In the late spring, you will be able to determine if the tree has survived. Summer pruning may be necessary to reshape the tree and remove additional dead twigs or branches.
In cases of severe damage to larger trees, it is best to consult a certified local arborist such as Bartlett Tree Experts to get their recommendation on whether the tree can be salvaged. If the loss of branches is greater than 40%, the chances of survival can be greatly diminished and you may have to have the tree removed. Even if it survives, it may be severely weakened and it may become a hazard in the future.
It's wise to consult a professional arborist to determine a course of action.
Trees are a renewable and replaceable resource.
If you are forced to remove a tree, consider replacing it with a tree that produces well-spaced, wide angled branches which provide greater strength and resist breakage. To eliminate the problem of trunk splitting, look for trees that produce a single main trunk. Bradford pears are very popular landscape trees but they have weak branches and are very prone to storm damage.
Consider the loss of your tree an opportunity to try an exciting new variety!
