How Does Freezing Rain Affect Trees?

Freezing Rain If you lived in Buffalo, New York in October 2006, you’d have experienced “the October Storm” that saw hail and ice pellets hit trees with the leaves still on them. This early October “surprise” involved numerous downed trees and power lines. 400,000 people were left without power for several days. The National Guard had to come in and help clean up the mess– about 8.6 million cubic yards of debris!

Freezing rain can be awful for trees. If the rain is light and quick, then the ice may be thin and just get rid of a tree’s dead branches. Okay. When the “glaze ice,” though, stays on the tree for a longer period of time and accumulates up to 12 inches thick, there’ll be major trouble. It’s no wonder, then, that many trees end up bending, trying to support the temporary extra weight. In many cases, limbs break. They’ll usually fall to the ground, damaging whatever is underneath them, such as automobiles, playground equipment and picnic tables. Oftentimes, tree limbs fall on power lines, causing power outages.

How can you take good care of your trees so they’re prepared for freezing rain? Consider having any weak or sick limbs removed by Big Foot Tree Service. If the tree is young and vulnerable, consider having it professionally braced for support. You can also add insulation around the tree to help protect it from extreme weather conditions.

If and when freezing rain attacks your yard and your trees have experienced stress, consider having Big Foot Tree Service come inspect for damage after the storm. Bracing can be done, as needed, and damaged parts can be pruned. Should you have downed limbs that need to be taken away, Big Foot Tree Service can do that, too.

When freezing rain threatens the health of the trees in your New Jersey yard, call Big Foot Tree Service at 973-885-8000.