Reduce storm damage with proper tree management

Downed trees in Georgia cause an estimated $10 million annually in property loss. A lot of it could be avoided with proper tree management. Many people remove trees remotely close to their property, but with some education of proper tree management, we can avoid what are called "hazard trees."

Obviously, there is no way to protect trees from all storm damage except to completely enclose them. Trees are not adapted to worst-case storms, just to our average wind climate. Still, I will list several things that can lessen storm damage.

You should begin a management program when trees are young to make sure they grow up healthy and sturdy.

Many young trees will not stand up straight on their own, so they have to be staked. But try to let your tree adjust to the wind. Tight staking and guying from the time of planting hold a tree in place while preventing internal adjustment to wind loading. Always stake and tie the tree loosely so stems can move and bend in the wind.

Remove the ties as soon as you can, ideally after the first growing season. If they need to stay on longer, continue to loosen them over the next few seasons. The sooner you take them off, the sooner the tree will adjust to its environment.

Don't prune anything on the tree during the first growing season. Let it get established. After the second season, eliminate forked or co-dominant branches. Prune forked branches and branches that arise opposite of each other on the main stem. Forks in trees develop what we call included bark; a crotch with included bark has little strength and can split during a storm when it gets older.

Cut one side off, retaining the side that is stronger, more vigorous, larger crowned and in the most direct vertical line to the roots. Correction of forks early in the development is beneficial to trees. You will probably have to do this every year until the tree gets too high for you to reach, even with pole pruners. But if the tree still forks higher in the tree, this is much safer than lower forks where more weight will be on each side of the tree when it gets mature.

Gradually prune the lower limbs as the tree gets larger every year, but don't take off living branches that are higher off the ground than half the tree height. That's because the tree needs those leaves for photosynthesis, so you don't want to take away too much of its ability to manufacture food.

Proper pruning techniques help the biological system of the tree react to wounds by sealing them off. At one point on the branch, near where the base of the branch enters the trunk, you'll see a swelling on the bottom side called the branch collar. Make your cut just to the outside of this collar. Never flush cut. This can lead to decay inside the tree.

Don't leave a stub, either, because it will rot and work its way to the trunk. Any decay that sets up in a small tree can create problems down the road when it becomes large. Cutting just outside this branch collar will allow the tree to biologically seal off the wound.

Pruning young or even older trees depends on what you want to prune. Cut out dead branches anytime, but don't scar living tissue when you do this. Living branches are best cut after complete leaf expansion in the summer.

Avoid spring pruning just before and during bud break and leaf expansion. In the spring, the tree uses much of its energy to reactivate tissues and it may not react to wounds effectively.

Never "top" an older tree. Many people mistakenly believe that topping trees is a proper way to reduce the size of a tree. Topping, however, is not a viable method of height reduction, and does not reduce a hazard.

It fact, topping makes the tree send out vigorous water sprouts that actually make the tree more hazardous in the long run because the sprouts are not as strong as the natural limb structure. If the need ever arises to reduce the size of a tree, use the drop crotch pruning method where the upper portion of the tree is cut back to where it joins another branch. This upper-most branch will form the new leader and "sprouting" will not occur.

As most of you know, older trees will develop hollows. Do not remove decayed wood from hollows unless it falls away in your hands. Cleaning hollows can lead to further internal damage.

And do not put concrete into hollows. The only time a hollow should be filled is if it collects water. In this case always use something softer than the tree. Foam insulation is a good substance to use in this case.

SID MULLIS IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA EXTENSION SERVICE OFFICE IN RICHMOND COUNTY. CALL 821-2349 OR SEND E-MAIL TO SMULLIS@UGA.EDU.