How to Best Protect Your Trees From Storm Damage

Weather conditions in Australia are becoming more and more unpredictable, and although the country is known for its warm and balmy summer months, epic storms have been known to hit Australia as well. In the face of these big storms, you will want to make sure that you keep you and your family as safe as possible. But this can be a challenge when you have large trees in your garden that can potentially bend and break during a storm, causing terrible damage. If you have a garden full of trees and are worried about their hardiness during storms, follow these tips to ensure they can withstand the elements.

Don't plant too deep. One very common problem is that people plant trees too deeply into the ground. People assume that the deeper the roots are, the less chance that a tree can be uprooted in stormy weather, but this is not the case. When trees are planted deeply, they are in constant contact with damp soil, and this proximity to moisture can cause fungal growth, which compromises the integrity of the roots. Deep roots can also strangle the stem of a tree, causing a weak point that is more liable to bend and snap when a storm hits.  

Be attentive to disease. If you ever spot a mushroom-like growth around the trunk of a tree in your garden, this is more than likely some kind of fungus. Any kind of decay in your tree can be a major issue when a storm hits, because the decayed areas will be softer and more likely to give way against the force of a storm. If you have some trees that are susceptible to disease, have them looked over by an arborist who will be able to apply the most appropriate fungicides to keep disease at bay.

Thin the trees. A tree is not something that can just be left to its own devices. It needs proper maintenance to grow in the healthiest way. Pruning away some of the branches is an essential practice for healthy growth and protects the tree against storms. The simple reason for doing this is because when there are fewer branches, there is more space for the air to travel through so that the tree doesn't get toppled over. For very tall trees, it's best to hire a professional for this task.

After a storm does hit, it's well worth getting a tree service company to assess to state of your trees. Some trees might have bent in a storm, and a tree service will be able to determine whether tree lopping is a necessary safety precaution, or whether you need to employ some other preventative measures to protect your trees from further damage. 

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