Guidance Offered In Caring With Storm Damaged Plants

It is advised to limit pruning storm damaged trees as much as possible, a Nebraska Extension horticulturalist related in Auburn Wednesday night, May 27.
Nicole Stoner of Beatrice, International Society of Arboriculture certified arborist, presented recommendations about dealing with storm damaged plants at the 4-H Building in Auburn. She also serves Nemaha, Johnson, Pawnee and Richardson counties.
Proper pruning throughout a tree’s life reduces breakage in storms and risks mostly, but not always, the horticulturalist explained.
“Sometimes there’s a need for (pruning). If a tree is fine, don’t prune it,” Stoner said.
“Trees don’t heal. They seal up their wounds,” she related.
Multiple tools can be used in pruning. Those include pruning, lopping and hedge shears; or hand, pole or chain saws.
Cleaning Up Following Storms
Trees: The Extension educator recommended several tips. Remove dead or damaged branches or stems that are bent or broken. Make good pruning cuts but keep them to a minimum. Assess the lean of the tree and determine if it should be removed or it can be staked for support, not staked to pull tight. Ensure proper irrigation. Mulch with wood chips. Do not fertilize. Be patient, it may take several years before some plants show signs of damage.
Stoner noted younger trees are more able to survive. Trees 5 to 10 years of age have a 50 percent chance of survival. If a tree is older than 10 years and will lean it is hazardous. You should look for signs of movement underground.
Shrubs: She indicated pruning and thinning are the best options. Cut back to about one-third of height and annually remove one-third of oldest woodiest stems at the base of the plant. Avoid fertilization until the plant recovers. Prune out only what is necessary and leave as much of the plant as you can. Water properly. Maintain two to three inches of mulch. May need to replant if the damage is too severe. With perennials, it is advised to give them time.
Vegetable gardens: Flash flooding is a concern, Stoner related. Depending upon severity, replanting might be needed and it is still early enough to replant and get a good harvest, she said. If plants were under flood water, the horticulturalist advised it is best to discard them because of contaminants in the water.
Being Proactive In the Event of Future Storms
A number of preventative recommendations were offered on trees. Prune trees carefully when they are young to allow the tree to develop a strong branching habit without codominant branches. Do not treat wounds with pruning paints or wound dressings. Remove dead, damaged or diseased branches. Plant trees adaptable to U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zone 6a, which includes the Auburn and Tecumseh areas, with average minimum temperatures between 10 and 5 degrees below zero. Identify brittle or easily damaged plant material. Select trees with dense wood and strong branch angles, slow growing vs. fast growing trees. Purchase healthy plant material and not rootbound plants. Avoid codominant stems. Plant and stake correctly. Monitor for signs of decay. The arborist stated trees can live a long time with decay.
The arborist said mulching is always good for trees and helps in many ways. Coarser and organic mulch are recommended and keep it at two to three inches deep, she continued.
Regarding tree irrigation, generally one inch of water weekly during the growing season is recommended, and water roots and not leaves, Stoner stated.
Additional information is available by visiting: www.go.unl.edu/weather-ready.