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Winter Tree Removal

Winter Storm Tree Care

Winter damage to trees.

Although our trees are dormant and without leaves in the winter, cold weather, snow and ice bring with them their own recipes for damage. Sometimes these damages manifest themselves in the forms of broken and failing branches, split main stems, or entirely toppled trees.

Those ice-laden trees sporting weak branch unions are prime candidates to split and fail. Some tree species are more susceptible for this type of damage—Silver Maples and Eastern White Pines, to name but two.

In damaged trees, there is the possibility of danger to people, animals, and structures. It is essential for the safety of all that a certified arborist be called in to assess and determine a course of action to either remove the damaged tree or trim off the limbs that have broken or have failed. The certified arborist will know from past experience and knowledge how best to proceed safely.

Home owners should hesitate to perform any tree trimming or removals if there are utilities nearby. Only those with training and experience should ever perform these types of services around

electrically charged lines. Any branches under tension are also very dangerous if trimmed

incorrectly.

Ofttimes, the best defense is a good offense. It is a good plan of action to have your trees

inspected regularly to eliminate or provide support for those with any weak branches. Tight or weak branch unions can be cabled to help prevent any future failure. A tree that has been

maintained, and nutrient and water supplemented is much more likely to survive winter storms, or

any storms for that matter, than those that have been left to fend for themselves.

What To Do After Tree Damage?

For those trees that lost branches in the storm, we like to recommend remedial care in the form of a fertilizing in the dormant season (November—March). When a tree loses branches in a storm, it exerts a large amount of energy in closing off the wounds and redirecting nutrients and water elsewhere throughout the tree. To assist the tree, adding these nutrients into the soil 8”-10” below ground into the areas where the majority of the tree roots reside will help the tree recover from its loss of limbs and encourage new and healthy growth.

Adding nutrients and water to the root layer also is beneficial for the roots, as they use what they need and then store for future use whatever the tree does not need at that time. For those older, mature trees, it is always good management practice to have them evaluated. Our certified arborists will help to assess any branch unions that are suspect and whether those trees would benefit from a fertilizing program, or if any of the branches need cabling (support).