How to safeguard trees from falling over onto your property during storms
HOUSTON - If you spent much of today cleaning up tree limbs and debris from Monday's storm, you’re not alone.
Jess Divin with Davey Tree Experts says maintenance is key during severe weather.
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"Preventative maintenance removing deadwood root feeding fertilization watering when it's really hot and dry out, so you don't get root, die back during the drought times because roots are the hearts and lungs of trees. If you can keep the roots happy a lot of times the canopy stays happy," Divin said.
Divin describes Texas weather as a "yo-yo" from hot to cold then dry and wet in a matter of days. He said residents should be prepping their trees now to safeguard their homes from the incoming freeze.
"The day before a freeze, you should be watering the root system. Making sure that the trees got enough moisture. On newly planted plants, cover anything that was planted this spring or this summer with a protective wrap. And really, what we're trying to do with the covering is we're trying to keep the heat of the soil around the base of the plant," Divin said.
Divin adds that dead branches and rotten roots are the first telltale signs that a tree could be at risk of falling over during a storm. He says residents should call a professional arborist to inspect their trees periodically and conduct maintenance.