Jefferson Beautification, Inc. and the Parkway Promenade

After the Storm: Tree and Landscape Recovery

Katrina has left most of us with the mammoth task of dealing with downed or damaged trees and many of us with the even more serious task of recovering our homes. Initial efforts dealt with the immediate need of getting fallen trees and limbs off of our houses and out of our yards. But, once the dust has settled and our homes are once again secure, it is time to take another look at our trees and begin to think about the recovery of trees and landscapes. The loss of trees has left many shade loving plants exposed to sun and many storm damaged trees in need of our help to recover so that they do not become the hazard trees of future storms.

If you are not sure if a shrub or young tree has survived the storms and drought of the last months, you can use your thumbnail or a pocketknife to scrape off a small section of bark to look for the green tissue of the cambium layer just under the bark. Even if the leaves have dropped or are brown, it is still alive if the cambium is green.

Caring for Damaged Trees and Shrubs
It is a good idea to walk outside and take a good look at the trees for broken limbs that may still be hanging and could fall on people or property and to look for tree injuries. One of the most important things that we can do for trees after the storm is to properly prune the jagged stubs of limbs that were broken. Since trees do not “heal,” their only method to protect themselves from boring insects, disease and rot that can damage heartwood is to seal off their wounds. Without help, it is almost impossible for a tree to “seal off” a jagged stub where a limb was broken off or a ragged edge where a section of bark was torn off of its trunk. By properly pruning off that jagged stub or scoring and removing the jagged edges of torn bark, we can give our trees a much better chance of surviving Katrina’s damage and avoid creating a hazard tree in the future.

It may be possible to prune broken branches on very young trees yourself by cutting just outside the branch collar and employing the three-cut method for heavier branches. However, to be safe, for larger trees it is best to call a licensed arborist with both liability and workman’s’ comp insurance. The State Department of Agriculture and Forestry recommends you ask to see proof of insurance before hiring an individual or company. The good news is that it is possible to deduct the cost of repairing storm related tree injuries from your itemized income taxes. For more information check out www.irs.gov publications 17 and 547 casualty losses.

While we may want to help our trees by pruning injuries, we do not recommend that trees be fertilized at this time of year. However, it is the perfect time of year to transplant and to begin planting new and replacement trees and shrubs. Shade loving shrubs now exposed to the sun as a result of trees lost to the storm can be transplanted to other shady areas. Transplanting or planting in late fall and winter provides the advantage of wet winter months to establish root systems in preparation for spring growth.

Many trees that were lost in the storm were weakened by Formosan termite damage, which can be avoided by checking periodically for signs of the termites and, when found, treating the tree with a termitacide.

Replacing Lost Trees

The right tree growing in an appropriate place for its species and size has a much better chance of surviving a future storm. Some hurricane resistant trees are: Live Oak, Bald Cypress, Winged Elm, Red Oak, American Holly, Sweetgum, Sycamore, Crape Myrtle and Magnolia. Training young trees as they grow to correct any conflicting or weak branching problems can help a tree grow strong. Keeping the ground area under the drip line mulched, and making sure the mulch does not touch the tree’s trunk, prevents the tree from being weakened by having to compete with lawn for moisture and nutrients.

For help in the selection, planting and care of your trees, visit www.lsuagcenter.com and check out the new publication 2926 “Native Tree Planting Guide”. You can also call the Jefferson AgCenter at 838-1170 for a copy of “Tree Ratings for the New Orleans Area” or “Shrub Ratings for the New Orleans Area.” In addition, many of our area nurseries have re-opened and the Master Gardeners are updating a list on line at www.lsuagcenter.com/mastergardener/gno .

Benefits of Reforesting
After a storm, there may be a tendency to consider removing and not replacing trees that sustained or caused damage. However, if we consider the many benefits trees provide—reducing community temperatures by as much as 12 degrees and air conditioning bills by as much as 35 percent; cleaning the air we breathe and providing oxygen; capturing and absorbing storm water and storm water pollution, providing habitat for song birds and other urban wildlife—we may decide that the services our urban trees provide are worth the effort to keep our trees strong, healthy and working for us.

For those who flooded, soil tests indicate that soils were not highly contaminated with salts so replanting landscapes should not require any special treatment. However, in areas where a layer of sediment was deposited by floodwaters, the sediment is high in salts and should be removed before planting.