When you inspect your yard after an overnight thunderstorm, you might notice several twigs and branches on the ground, leading you to wonder, “Will broken branches kill a tree?” The effects of broken branches on tree health will depend on the severity of the damage. Professionals offering tree services in Jupiter, FL, can perform an inspection and explain your options.
Why Some Branches Break During Storms
Even if you take every imaginable preventative measure, a tree may lose some branches in a storm. The stress of heavy winds violently shaking the branches back and forth can quickly expand any tiny cracks or damage that may have been hidden from view before the storm.
Water from a rainstorm makes leaves much heavier. This extra weight places stress on small cracks, causing them to widen.
Preventing tree damage from broken limbs often starts with preemptive measures. Removing dead and diseased branches before the next storm arrives should reduce the number of cracked limbs and twigs.
When You Should Worry About Damaged Branches
So, will broken branches kill a tree? You should worry about this type of damage when it involves large limbs with healthy leaves.
It’s easier for the tree to heal from losing small twigs and branches. The plant can quickly replace these losses with new growth and leaves, allowing it to continue thriving.
However, losing large limbs filled with green leaves can put the plant in shock, making it harder to recover. It’s also more difficult for the plant to protect itself from large, jagged wounds from cracked limbs, which can provide an avenue for insects and fungal disease to invade the plant.
How Trees Heal From Broken Branches
After most storms, the effects of broken branches on tree health are minimal because the tree can heal itself. In the days and weeks after the storm, it will attempt to grow new tissue that protects the damaged area. It might grow new branches in nearby areas.
Professionals can help you understand how damaged branches affect tree health by closely inspecting the damage and the size of the broken branches. To give the tree the best chance of making fast repairs, removing broken branches hanging in the canopy is helpful. Professionals will make a clean cut and give the plant a chance to heal while warding off disease and insects.
Let ECO Tree Experts Provide Maintenance After the Storm and Clean Up Afterward
Storms in southeast Florida can take their toll on your property. With the help of our crew at ECO Tree Experts, you can be sure your trees are ready for whatever Mother Nature has in store. We’ll help you understand the types of tree pruning and trimming that yield the most benefit for storm preparation.
We can maintain your trees year-round, minimizing damage from even the strongest storms. Let us inspect your plants after the storm and determine which steps are necessary to return them to full health. For a free cost estimate for any of our services, call us today at (833) 321-TREE.
