Released: January 11, 2005

Pruning Winter Storm-Damaged Trees

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Winter storms can cause serious tree damage. Often a decision must be made on whether a tree can be saved or not, said a forester with Kansas State University.

As winter weather gets a firm grip, residents should be aware of how to care for a storm-damaged landscape, said Charles Barden, forestry specialist for K-State Research and Extension.

“The number one thing to remember is to be safe,” Barden said. “Check for downed power lines or hanging branches. Don’t venture under the tree until it is safe. If large limbs are hanging precariously, or bent under tension, a certified arborist has the tools, training and knowledge to do the work safely.”

Barden gave suggestions on the care of trees after winter storms.

* Remove all debris so no one trips over it.

* Decide whether it is feasible to save the tree. Trees where the main trunk has been split will probably not survive. Trees that have had half of their crown (head of foliage) damaged should also be removed. Trees that are more prone to wind damage, such as silver maple, Siberian elm, and hackberry could be removed, to make way for more durable specimens of oak, ash, and Caddo maple.

* Broken branches should be pruned back to the next larger branch or back to the trunk. Don’t cut flush to the trunk, but make the cut at the collar area, the transition zone between the branch and the trunk.

* Topping, where all the main branches are cut back to stubs, is not recommended. Though new branches will normally arise from the stubs, they are not as firmly attached as were the original branches and will likely break in subsequent storms. Also, the tree must use a lot of energy to grow new branches, leaving less to fight diseases and insect attacks, Barden said. Often, the topped tree’s life is shortened.

* Large limbs should be taken off in stages. Trying to take off a large limb in one cut often causes it to break before the cut is finished and can strip bark from the tree. Instead, first make a cut about 15 inches from the trunk. Start from the bottom and cut one-third of the way up through the limb. The second cut should be made from the top down, but started 2 inches further away from the trunk than the first cut. The branch will break away as you make the second cut. The third cut is made to remove the stub that is left and is made at the collar area.

“Preventing damage is better than trying to fix it once it has happened,” Barden said. “The Arbor Day Foundation has an excellent Web site that contains more detailed information including images showing examples of trees that can be saved and trees that cannot.”

The Arbor Day Foundation Web site is at: http://www.arborday.org/media/stormindex.cfm.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Crystal Rahe
cer5665@ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News