As summer storm season approaches, we have prepared some valuable advice for preparing and protecting your trees!
Summer is a great season, especially for trees. Their full, green leaves are beautiful to look at, and the shade they provide is a welcome reprieve from the summer heat. Unfortunately, with this warmer weather comes summer storms. Lightning, high winds and heavy rains can be incredibly destructive, especially for trees. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on the forecast and to know what precautionary measures to take to protect your trees.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE TO PREVENT STORM DAMAGE
Since dead branches are often the first to go during a storm, they pose a threat to anything or anyone in their path. To remove this potential hazard, hire a professional arborist to prune your trees’ branches.
It’s also a good idea to have an arborist thin your trees’ canopies, to allow the wind to blow through them more easily.
Additionally, as trees are a prime target for lightning strikes, you may want to have a lighting protection system installed. These devices make use of a copper cable that runs from the highest limb of the tree to the ground, helping to minimize the possible damage should the tree be struck by lightning.
PREPARING FOR AN ONCOMING STORM
There are some additional protective measures reserved for when a storm is on the horizon. If you have any newly planted trees, anchor them to the ground with stakes embedded about 20 inches into the soil. They should be angled away from the tree and attached with strong twine.
Don’t tie the tree so tightly that it can’t bend generously in the wind. The trunks of these young trees should be wrapped in burlap to protect them from the cold temperatures that often accompany a storm.
DAMAGED TREES
Sometimes, despite one’s best efforts, one or more of your trees gets damaged during unfavourable weather conditions. Such trees are a potential hazard and should be dealt with swiftly. Often, arborists are able to save them with bracing. Trees that have been struck by lightning, however, have a decreased chance of survival and should be assessed by a professional to determine an appropriate course of action.
STORM DAMAGE AND TREE SERVICE PROFESSIONALS IN ALBERTA
If a tree on your property sustained damage during a storm, All Season Tree Service is here to help. Our team will assess the situation and recommend the best course of action. We’re proud to provide a wide variety of other services as well, including tree removal, tree pruning and bracing. Whatever issue you’re dealing with, feel free to contact us for a free estimate.