Ice storms like the one north Georgia witnessed this weekend
can leave trees bent,
broken and toppled. But that doesn’t always mean they’re lost,
says a University of
Georgia expert."Uprooted trees comprise a major problem in ice
storms," said Gary Wade, an
Extension Service horticulturist with the University of Georgia
College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences."If the tree is small enough to lift back in place, do
so before the root ball
dries out," Wade said. You may need to get the help of
several friends or a winch.
Raise, Then Anchor
Tree
Trim broken roots and excavate the hole under the root ball
before you begin tugging.
As the tree becomes vertical the root ball needs to settle back
into its former home
without obstacles.
"Then use strong rope or wire tied to sturdy stakes to
hold the tree in
place," he said, "until the roots get anchored
again." If you use wire, pad
it thickly where it touches the trunk."The old trick of using a short piece of water hose to
pad the wire is better than
nothing," said UGA horticulture educator Walter Reeves.
"But wide nylon
strapping is much less likely to harm the trunk."
Water as if Newly
Planted
Reeves said the roots under the root ball, although you
can’t see them, may have
snapped when they were bent at such an acute angle.
"Since the roots on one side were snapped completely
and those on the other side
might have been bent," he said, "plan to water your
uprighted tree as if it were
newly planted. Pay special attention to its needs in July and
August."
If the tree is too large to upright, cut it up and use it
for firewood.
First Aid for
Trees
"If the tree is an evergreen, such as magnolia or
holly, it may wilt due to root
loss," Wade said. "Wait several days to see if
wilting occurs. If so, prune back
the canopy by one third to compensate for the loss of
roots."If your trees suffered broken branches, they need first aid
fast."Clean up wounds on trees and shrubs left from broken
branches by making a smooth
cut back to the main trunk or main branch," Wade said.
"It’s not necessary to
use a pruning paint on the wounds."Ice, he said, should do little damage to leaves.
