Tips on how to assess and care for damaged trees
Posted November 25, 2014 5:18 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Severe weather like Monday’s heavy wind gusts across southern Ontario and the GTA downed hydro lines and caused major damage to trees and limbs.
Homeowners may be left to clean up the mess and wondering if their trees need help.
Here are some first-aid tips for trees post storm damag, courtesy of the International Society of Aboriculture Ontario.
1. If large limbs are broken or hanging and require ladder or chainsaw work, consider hiring a professional arborist to do the work.
2. As a precaution, be on the alert and stay away from downed utility lines and dangerous hanging branches that look like they could fall.
3. Evaluate your trees carefully and ask yourself:
• Other than the storm damage, is the tree basically healthy and vigorous?
• Are major limbs or the leader (the main upward-trending branch on most trees) branch still remaining?
• Is at least 50 per cent of the tree’s crown (branches and leaves) still intact?
• Are there remaining branches that can form a new branch structure?
If you answered “yes” to the majority of these questions, there is a good chance for complete recovery.
See the below document for the full first-aid care for damaged trees, courtesy of ISA Ontario.
