Johnson City, TN

The season of thunderstorms is always a bit concerning for homeowners with large trees in their landscapes. High winds, especially with ground that may be saturated from heavy rains, are enough to bring down even the mightiest of trees. Lightning strikes can cause heavy branches — and even entire trees — to fall, too.

While some of the natural consequences from Mother Nature’s summer storms can’t be controlled, precautions can be taken to protect trees during the storms that summertime often brings. Our ISA-certified arborists in Johnson City are taking a look today at the ways you can be sure your trees are as protected as possible from upcoming storms:

Prevention

The most effective way to storm-proof your trees is to make sure they’re routinely maintained. This keeps them strong and healthy, which helps ensure they can withstand summer thunderstorms. Regularly pruned and fertilized trees are less likely to have dead or dying branches that fall during storms, potentially causing severe property damage. The health of trees should always be at the forefront of a homeowner’s mind, with their care a top priority while they’re healthy. Too many homeowners wait to properly maintain their trees until the trees’ health starts to decline. By that point, the tree is a potential liability and a danger to property and people.

Protection

In addition to regular pruning to protect the health of a tree, it’s also imperative to protect the tree’s root systems to keep it healthy and planted firmly in the ground during strong winds and storms. One of the most effective ways to protect a tree’s root system is to mulch around the tree trunk. However, there’s a proper way to do this. A heavy layer of mulch around a tree helps maintain soil temperature and locks moisture and nutrients into the soil around the tree. It also helps eliminate and discourage the growth of weeds. However, mulch should never be piled high at the base of the tree’s trunk. This can injure or kill the tree.

Arborists in Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee

It’s said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that couldn’t be more true when it comes to tree health. Regular tree maintenance is the best way to protect your trees and ready them for summer storms. But pruning large trees can be a dangerous task, and if done incorrectly, it can damage or even kill trees. Our ISA-certified arborists at Promier Tree in the Tri-cities area are happy to visit your home and take a look at your landscape to give you tips to keep your trees healthy this summer … and year-round. Give us a call at (423) 430-6270, or contact us online today.