Ever since Hurricane Irma blew through Florida and took down one of my trees, I've had questions about fallen trees: Can a fallen tree be replanted? Perhaps even as important, what can I do to prepare my other trees for the next set of high winds to come through?
Here is some of the information I found: Is there any way to save a tree that has been uprooted? Most of the time, the answer is going to be "no". It will all depend on how old and how large the tree is and how much damage there is. If it's a young tree, with a fair amount of its anchor roots intact, then you can sometimes re-stake or rewire it. Some trees will re-root with enough time and care. With older, larger trees, it is usually if not always impossible. To determine if the tree is a good candidate, you may want to consult an arborist who is certified or registered. If there is a small uprooted tree in your yard and it looks like the root systems are in good shape — no big circling roots or crossing roots that may have compromised the tree — then it could be possible. If severed roots can be cut cleanly and put back in, sometimes you can establish a new root system to grow back out into the soil. It's fairly involved and is best handled by professionals. Only small trees have any chance of success. If a tree has come out and you want to put in a replacement, should you take out the entire old root system? It is strongly recommend because there are some fungi that can invade the old stump, mostly oak root fungus. If you can get the old stump out without damaging other trees — remember the root systems of trees are interconnected — do that. Your other trees will thank you for it. Is there anything that people can do now for their healthy trees to protect them from future wind? One common way do-it-yourselfers prune trees is by center stripping. That means taking all the center foliage out, and that encourages the tree to become very dense in the center, making it fuller so that it gives more shade, but also making it more susceptible to failure. When the wind hits, rather than the wind going through the tree, it's more like a wall. Make sure you don't remove center foliage that may be necessary for structural reasons. Concentrate on the outer two-thirds of the canopy. Never center strip or top your trees. Trees need the ability to move in the wind. If you shorten a tree, you actually make it more of an immovable object. Know what is the right season to prune your tree. Pine trees and cedars are generally pruned in different seasons than oaks or palms. It is better to have the tree pruned properly by professionals and have evenly spaced branches and leave foliage in the center of the tree rather than topping or center stripping. How can I tell if my trees are sturdy. What signs are there that a problem might exist? That can be difficult to answer. Wind damage is often a factor of the age of the tree, decay and how it's been pruned — or not been pruned. Some species don't seem to drop branches as easily. Oaks seem to be able to take wind well, particularly if they haven't been center stripped. An oak with a full canopy that hasn't been pruned badly seems to do pretty well. Older oaks sometimes go over because people have been watering the ground around the tree, the lawn. Lawns and oak trees are not always a good combination but are very common here in Mid Florida. Whatever challenge you may be facing, unless you are skilled and knowledgeable in working with the many different types of trees here in Florida, then I strongly recommend hiring certified and reputable professionals, like the ones at MidFlorida Tree Service.
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