When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita bulldozed their way across the Gulf Coast in 2005 , they disinvest off 75 percent of the tree diagram in New Orleans [ source : Kaufman ] . That ’s just a shaving of the 320 million trees in Louisiana and Mississippi left damage sternly by the back - to - back storms [ source : Kaufman ] . Sturdy pine tree , oaks , maple and cypresses succumb to whipping winds , rain and flooding .
That natural calamity is an especial case , yet smaller - scale tree damage can be costly for dimension owners as well . In Georgia alone , weather - related tree job rack up $ 10 million in property value losses every year [ informant : Coder ] . If a tree or large limb snaps and lands on your cap or automobile , the expenses mount .
TheBeaufort Wind Scalerates wind vividness , like the Fujita Scale measures tornados and Saffir - Simpson Scale measures hurricane . When winds reach a 10 on the Beaufort Wind Scale , it means they ’re firm enough to damage or uproot trees . blast that powerful in all probability think of you ’re in the heart of a hurricane , crack or other lifelike disaster . But vehement thunderstorms can deliver destructive blows to trees , too , particularly ones that are older , weaker or improperly deal for .
Unfortunately , there are no wholly weather - proof tree diagram . First , a tree ’s structure can not of course withstand free burning hurricane or twister - force winds . Wood fibers can shift in response to the malarky , causing Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to sway , but only up to a point [ author : Coder ] . Also , trees with the unattackable wood in the worldly concern are n’t endemic to the continental United States . You ’ll find those tropic hardwoods , such as teaks and ebony , in southeast Asia and other warm climates [ author : Logan ] . However , some commoner varieties are tougher than others when the weather kicks up . Live oaks , gingkos and sweetgum trees are among the more storm- and water ice - resistant , while you ’d require to avoid brittle birches , beeches and dogwoods [ reference : Clatterbuck ]
To quash the chances of storm - related tree damage , planting the most resilient species is n’t the only option available . value the wellness of individual tree diagram is equally important . Properly tending to a endearing birch can help protect your place as much as replacing it with an oak tree . Doing so want a little time and attempt , but becoming an amateurish tree surgeon is much simple than drag away broken tree part after a violent storm expire down .
How to Prevent Tree Damage
Trees are the longest - living organisms on the Earth , but once damaged , they ca n’t cure themselves like our bodies can [ source : International Society of Arboriculture ] . Over time , trees build a instinctive resistance to wind , calledwind firmness[source : Coder ] . For example , if wind regularly spoil against a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree from the eastern United States , it will build more strength on its western side . However , malarky firmness wo n’t completely safeguard a tree diagram from tempest winds . Winter atmospheric condition can also cause trees to ice-skating rink over , leading to tree branch breakage . When savage conditions strikes , it can inflict five major tree diagram injuries : blow - over , stem failure , crown twisting , root failure and branch loser [ source : Coder ] .
The bad news is that you ca n’t assure the weather like some omnipotent Zeus . On the other hand , there are relatively simple steps you’re able to take to safeguard the trees on your attribute against those worst - shell weather scenario .
Promoting healthy trees begins before you put them in the earth . confer yourhardiness zoneprior to purchasing any sapling . The hardiness zone outline which flora can grow in your climate ’s temperature extremes . tree diagram imbed in the wrong hardiness geographical zone will be predisposed to pitiful growth . When contrive where to plant tree , give up batch of space for emergence , and endure trees with stakes for the first five to seven years to build twist firmness .
As your trees mature , you may need to clip them . If so , assay to cut branches before they ’ve grow tumid than one inch ( 2.5 centimeters ) in diameter . Also , do n’t whoop long arm down to stubs – thin , fragile arm will sprout from that stage [ source : Arbor Day Foundation ] . Once you commence pruning the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ’s crown , or leafy top , be certain not to interrupt the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ’s nub of gravity . If you remove too much from one side or the other , the crown will be lopsided , destabilizing the tree diagram .
Watch out for outsize and fork branches . Tree branches should n’t be larger than half the total diam of the tree diagram . Otherwise , the tree ca n’t support the added weightiness . Forked branches are also more susceptible to snapping in bad weather . Since it has to support more than one subdivision , the wood where the crotch gather is watery . The respectable branches on the tree will grow at 45 - degree angle to the torso , which allows enough space between the offset and the bole for novel wood growth [ author : Arbor Day Foundation ] .
As you would with flowers in a garden , water and inseminate your trees regularly . That schedule will variegate depending on the case of tree and its hardiness zone . Also keep an eye out for signs of pests , such as pine beetle , that taint trees . If you have a damage tree diagram on your property and are n’t certain what to do , confer anarborist .
give trees a little attention can help oneself them endure the eye of the tempest . And considering all that they do for us – from keep apart carbon paper to free life - maintain oxygen and prettify our yard – is that really too much to ask ?
