This past spring and summer, Alberta experienced an unprecedented number of storms with winds strong enough to cause permanent damage to many homes and trees.
In May, there were 20% more calls to arborists in Alberta about damaged trees than in previous years. And we can only expect that they’ll be more storm damage to come now that the Edmonton winter is approaching—the weight of ice and snow is just as damaging to trees as the wind and oversaturated ground is during the summer months. In today’s we blog we walk you through signs of tree damage from storms, what you should do next and steps you can take to prevent storm damage from occurring in the first place.
COMMON TYPES OF STORM DAMAGE TO LOOK OUT FOR
There are four common types of tree damage caused by storms:
Blow over: the tree gets pushed about in the wind, which can cause the trunk to break if it has weak spots.
Crown twist: the trunk and branches near the top of the tree crack, split or warp.
Branch failure: tree limbs break off from the trunk, either falling to the ground or becoming trapped in the remaining branches.
Root failure: the roots aren’t properly anchored in the ground, which can contribute to blow over. This can be made worse when the soil is too saturated and therefore unable to hold the roots in place.
The type of tree damage sustained depends on the type of storm. Heavy ice and snow will most likely cause branch failure, while heavy rain usually causes root failure.
After a heavy storm, do a visual check of all your trees. If a tree looks like it was damaged call a professional tree service to perform a proper inspection. Our professional arborists will ensure the right actions are taken to restore your trees or assess the situation for an emergency removal.
PREVENT FUTURE DAMAGE – MAINTAIN YOUR HEALTHY TREES
Healthy trees are less likely to be damaged by storms, so make sure to keep them in top shape. Hire professionals to inspect and prune your trees regularly. Pruning and trimming will remove weak branches that are more likely to break under the duress of a storm. Keep in mind that at All Season, we are here to prune and maintain your trees all year round!
Be wary of anyone who suggests “topping” your trees. In general, cutting off the canopy of the tree only increases the potential for damage because the branches that grow back are weaker than the previous ones. This practice also removes the leaves that are responsible for nourishing the tree, which effectively starves the plant as a whole.
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