
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 10, 1993                   TAG: 9306090103
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-10   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Joe Hunnings
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

SOME OF THE STORM DAMAGE YOU PROBABLY CAN FIX YOURSELF

If you're like most homeowners whose trees sustained damage when the storm blew through last week, you may not be well enough prepared to make all the decisions necessary to save your trees.

Here are some tips that will help you repair some of the damage on your own:

Proper pruning

Cutting flush against a larger limb or the trunk once was believed to be the best way to prune.

We now know that such a method weakens a tree's natural defenses against the invasion of disease organisms.

You can minimize the potentially harmful effects of pruning wounds by making all cuts just to the outside of the raised areas at branch intersections. These features are called bark ridges (above) and branch collars (underneath).

The most common repair homeowners can make after a storm is removing the jagged remains of broken limbs.

If done properly, this will minimize the risk of pathogens entering a tree.

Following good pruning techniques, cut off limb stubs where they join the next largest branch or the trunk.

Do not simply cut immediately below the break.

Three-cut method

Because of its weight, a large limb could tear loose during pruning, thus stripping the bark and creating jagged edges that will be inviting to insects and disease.

That won't happen if you follow these steps:

Cut part-way through the branch from beneath at a point one or two feet from the trunk ("A" in illustration).

Make a second cut on the top of the branch, several inches out from the first cut. This should let the limb fall from its own weight ("B" in illustration).

Complete the job by making a final cut next to the trunk just outside the branch collar, with the lower edge farther from the trunk than at the top ("C" in illustration).

Repairing torn bark

Torn or stripped bark can result when limbs are violently broken from the tree by wind or falling branches.

To improve a tree's appearance and to eliminate hiding places for insects, carefully use a chisel or sharp knife to smooth ragged edges of dead or dying bark.

Remove the bark back to the point at which it is attached to the tree. Try not to expose any more cambium (inner bark).

Shaping the tear into an ellipse has more aesthetic value than effect on wound closure, and if you do use this traditional method, round the ends to prevent dieback of the cambium at these points.

Keep the wound as narrow as you can to hasten wound closing.

Partially uprooted trees

Young or small trees (under 25 feet in height) that are partially blown over often can be saved:

First, remove soil on the uprooted side so the root mass can fit into the hole.

Straighten the tree with power equipment, winch, or "come-along," being careful not to break additional roots and to protect the bark where the rope or cable is attached.

With the tree upright, replace soil and anchor in place using two or three guy lines attached to a point one-third to one-half the height of the tree.

Tamp and water the area well to help remove air spaces around the replaced roots.

Broken conifers

Occasionally, the top of a young conifer will be broken by falling trees or limbs.

You can restore form to your tree by helping a branch in the top whorl become the new leader.

Select the best - and perhaps the longest - branch, and carefully bend it upward. Tie it to a pole securely fastened to the trunk.

Check it every few months to make sure the ties are not cutting into the new leader; remove the pole after two or three years.

Caution!

Tree work can be extremely dangerous and a tree-care company should be used, especially when:

A tree is large and requires high climbing or the use of a chain saw.

A tree is partially down - leaning on a structure or entangled with another tree.

Wires are involved or structures are endangered.

Major repair of the tree, such as cabling or bolting a split fork, is necessary.

Large limbs are split or broken but still attached to the tree.

You do not have the proper tools, knowledge or health to do the work.

Joe Hunnings is the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service agent for agriculture in Christiansburg. If you have questions call the Montgomery County extension office at 382-5790.

by CNB