Are your trees prepared for a summer storm?

With late spring roaring into summer, we can look forward to running the air conditioner, sitting by the pool or going to the beach, warm summer nights, mosquitos, and of course — summer storms! While you may be one of the people who enjoys a good summer storm (especially a warm thunderstorm after a scorching hot day), your trees may think a little differently. Summer storms, just like winter storms, can wreak havoc on your landscaping and trees. What can a summer storm do?

High winds

A thunderstorm can tear through even briefly with super high winds. If you’re further west, you may even get hurricanes (Hurricane season is June 1st to November 30th out west) that can destroy trees or even your home. High winds can tear down dead, dying, or hanging branches. The best way to help with this is to prune appropriately.

Root Damage

Mark another point down for those high winds! High winds can cause stress on the roots of a tree by wrenching up on it, and can cause root damage. Too much root damage can kill a tree entirely. An appropriate amount of mulch can help insulate the roots around a tree, so even if they are exposed, they will still be covered. Just remember not to mound mulch around your tree’s base!

Uprooting

Just like having damaged roots, younger trees are more susceptible to being uprooted by high winds and driving rains. Making sure your young saplings are staked or sometimes even cabled to the ground can help a tree stay put.

Lightning

Not every thunderstorm has lightning, but most of them do. If lightning strikes a tree, it can cause a lot of damage. Lightning can split a tree in half, cause branches to fall, or even cause the tree to catch fire! Making sure that trees are pruned appropriately around your house will help create a margin around a tree in case lightning does strike. Wires can also help direct energy out to the ground rather than using the path of the tree’s roots to get there. If you’re concerned about this, let us know!

If you need to get prepared for a winter storm, get prepared today by contacting us!

Are your trees prepared for a summer storm?

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