While some view fall as a fun season with cool temperatures, others cringe at the thought of all the storms that the season brings. With wind gusts of 100 mph and higher, those storms can knock down your beloved trees and wreak havoc on your entire yard. We’ll help you get ready for the season with some tips on how to prepare.
Look for Vulnerable Trees
It’s rare that fall storms knock down healthy trees. You’ll usually see more destruction among older trees that were less healthy. Before storms hit, check your yard for any vulnerable trees. Focus on those with hollow spots and any that show visible signs of damage. We also recommend keeping an eye out for conjoined trees and any that lean to one side. Talk to a trained professional to see how you can protect those trees during a big storm.
Practice Regular Pruning
Regular pruning keeps your trees from becoming flying hazards during a storm. Though many prune in the summer, they stop before fall arrives. Make sure you remove any branches that appear dead or dying. It’s easy for wind gusts to bring those branches down or turn them into projectiles that fly into nearby people, homes, and cars. You also want to look for any condition issues that affect the tree’s structure, such as fungus, branches that sit close to the ground, and hollow trunks.
Remove Trees
As you’re on the hunt for ways to protect your trees, you might hate the idea of getting rid of any. Nevertheless, we recommend you remove trees that pose a risk to others. For example, you might have an old tree with branches that are close to other trees. A storm can break off those branches and send them crashing into neighboring trees, knocking them down. Old and dying trees can also take away some of the nutrients others need to stay healthy and withstand storm damage.
Use Barriers
Fall storms can uproot trees. They might topple into your window, take out another tree, land on your car, or injure a loved one. Barriers are products designed to protect the trees and reduce the impact a storm has on them. Many designs look like small structures or houses and are big enough to cover the complete tree. While a barrier will impact and change the look of your landscaping, they also keep your trees safe. You can also use wind stakes, which keep the tree upright during a storm.
Mitigate the damage that fall storms can do to your lawn and especially your trees. Try barriers and wind stakes, opt for regular pruning, and get rid of old and dying trees. You can also look for vulnerable trees and find out how to protect them. Contact us at Charleston Stump Stompers if you live in the Charleston, SC area and want help with storm cleanup or prep.
