An Arborists Guide To Storm Ready Trees

You know the feeling of waking up after a storm to find your yard covered in fallen branches—or, worse, an uprooted tree. It’s a sinking feeling, especially when those branches have caused expensive damage, like a smashed car or downed power lines that leave you without water or electricity. While we can’t fully prevent storm damage, there are ways to minimize it. Regular tree care could be the difference that saves you from these costly and frustrating outcomes.

Old vs. Young: When to Prune

A common question is when to start pruning. Pruning has multiple benefits, but let’s begin with the general timeline. For mature trees, it’s recommended to prune every three to five years to maintain a healthy, storm-resistant structure. Regular pruning thins out the canopy in a process called crown thinning. By reducing the canopy’s weight, light can better penetrate the branches, and airflow improves. More light reaching the inner branches helps strengthen them, allowing the tree to develop thick, sturdy scaffold branches, which are vital for its health and stability.

Young trees, on the other hand, need more frequent care to guide their growth. While they can grow on their own, some early attention will help them become stronger. Think of it as training the tree: removing weaker branches that don’t support a strong central structure lets the main scaffold branches receive more nutrients and grow more robustly. For young trees, pruning every two to three years is recommended to ensure they mature beautifully and resiliently.

Watching for Signs of Decay

Although scheduled pruning is helpful, there are visible signs that your tree might need immediate attention. Dead or decaying limbs, for instance, are prime candidates for removal—a practice known as “deadwooding.” These branches pose a risk of falling, either during a storm or even on a calm day.

You’ll notice decaying limbs most easily during the growing season when leaves are visible. Signs like browning leaves in summer or early leaf drop suggest that a branch is dying or stressed. Since leaves are crucial for photosynthesis, their condition reflects the health of the tree. During winter, when leaves are absent, peeling bark or bare patches are indicators of dead branches. Unlike healthy branches, dead ones are brittle and inflexible, making them hazardous in high winds and prone to falling unexpectedly.

Reducing Weight

Healthy branches aren’t always safe from the pruning shears, either. If a branch grows disproportionately large, it may become too heavy for the tree to support. These heavy branches are more susceptible to breaking off in extreme weather and can place undue stress on the tree’s trunk and roots, increasing the risk of the tree snapping or uprooting entirely. Additionally, if one side of the tree is heavier, it may lean or grow in a lopsided manner, creating an imbalance that makes it more vulnerable during a storm.

Pruning these oversized branches is a proactive step. Reducing some of the weight can relieve the tree of unnecessary strain, preventing potential falls and saving you from the “headache” of a falling branch—no pun intended!

Pruning for Storm Preparedness

Weather is unpredictable, and storms often blow in with a force that disregards the chaos they leave behind. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to prepare. Proper pruning is an essential part of storm preparedness. Removing high-risk branches helps protect your trees and your property from the ravages of extreme weather. Because every tree is unique, consulting with a professional arborist can ensure that your trees are pruned correctly and made more resilient to withstand storm conditions.