Tree Storm Damage Care

After a big storm, most property owners' first thought is usually something like, "Let's get this mess cleaned up." But people who make decisions too quickly often cut down trees that could have been saved.

Doing the right things after trees have been hurt can make the difference between giving them a good chance of survival and losing them needlessly. The Arbor Day Foundation urges people who own homes and land to follow a few simple rules when giving first aid to trees after a storm:

Don’t Do It Yourself!

If large limbs are broken or hanging, or if you need to climb high or use a chainsaw from above, you should call an arborist. Houston Tree Service is what you can search for in google.

Be Safe!

Look both above and down. Keep an eye out for downed power lines and dangerous branches that look like they could fall at any moment. Stay away from any downed utility lines, low-voltage telephone or cable lines, or fence wires. If there are downed or broken electrical lines nearby, even fence wires can become charged. Don't go under broken branches that are hanging or caught in other branches up high. And if you don't know how to use a chainsaw well, don't do work with one.

Removing smaller branches

Take off any broken branches that are still on the tree. One common repair that people can make after a storm is to get rid of the sharp pieces of smaller broken branches. An arborist should cut broken large branches back to the trunk or a main branch.

Remove ripped bark.

To make the tree look better and get rid of places where bugs can hide, carefully use a chisel or sharp knife to smooth the rough edges where the bark has been torn off. Try not to show more of the greenish inner bark (called the cambium) than is necessary. These thin layers are the tree's food and water lifelines between its roots and leaves

Careful with pruning

Try not to prune too much. Don't worry if the tree doesn't look just right. Your trees may look unbalanced or bare without their branches. You'll be surprised at how quickly they will heal, grow new leaves, and return to their natural beauty.

Don't cut down the trees!

Untrained people may tell you to cut back all of the branches because they think that shortening the branches will keep them from breaking in storms. Even though storm damage might make it hard to make the best pruning cuts, professional arborists say that "topping," or cutting main branches down to stubs, is one of the worst things you can do for your trees. A lot of weakly attached branches will grow back from stubs, making them even more likely to break when a storm hits. Also, the tree will need all of its resources to recover from the stress of storm damage. If you cut off the top of the tree, it will have less foliage, which it needs to get the food and nutrients it needs to grow back. A storm-damaged tree with a broken top is more likely to die than to get better on its own. At best, it will take longer to get better, and it almost certainly won't get back to its original shape or beauty

Call The Lone Star Tree Czar today. The best Houston arborist who can get you the affordable tree service you can trust after a storm.