Tree Damage Recovery

Host: Gary Bachman, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist

Transcription:

Since it’s the active season for storms, here are some tips for helping trees recover from storm damage today on Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

The common myth is that the trees root system mirrors the top growth of a tree. Most of the trees root system is in the top twelve to fourteen inches in the soil. We can see this arrangement with trees that have been blown over. Many times, smaller trees that have been blown over can be pushed back into place and recover fine.

Trees are capable of healing themselves after damage from a storm but don’t heal in the same sense as we do after an injury. The area around the injury is strengthened and sealed. Never paint, conch, cement, or use any other material to cover a tree wound that will trap disease organisms. Always trim branches to an even surface. This will allow the tree to completely conceal the damaged area off from the rest of the tree. There are many branches damaged that will have to be removed. Never prune a branch flushed with the trunk. As this provides an opening for pathogens to enter the tree. Always look for the branch collar—a slightly raised area where the branch attaches to the trunk and prune there.

Consider the growth characteristics and signs when replacing trees. It’s a big mistake to plant fast growing trees near power lines or too near your homes believing their pruning will keep the growth under control. Remember, if you need to prune to control, it’s the wrong tree.

For more information, refer to the Mississippi State University Extension Publication, “Repairing Storm Damage: Shade, Ornamental, and Fruit Trees,” available from your local county extension office or online at [email protected] .

I am horticulturist Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.