Prepare your trees for the winter months to avoid financial loss
As the cold and wet weather conditions begin to set in across South Africa, homeowners should start taking precautionary measures to protect their homes against damage caused by trees on or surrounding their property.
This is according to Christelle Fourie, Managing Director of MUA Insurance Acceptances, who says that storms, strong winds, hail, rain and rapid temperature fluctuations can take its toll on trees, which increases the risk of the tree falling or branches breaking off and causing damage. "While the stress on trees is unavoidable, there are some ways for homeowners to minimise the potential damage they can cause during winter months.”
Fourie says that damage to trees as a result of poor weather conditions include cracks, root or stem damage, browning or even plant death. "During autumn most trees lose their leaves. This means that the active root growth ends, even though the trees continue to absorb water and nutrients from the ground. Most trees also enter into a state of hibernation during winter and the exposure to the tough weather conditions can add stress to the trees. These conditions greatly increase the chance of trees falling onto the home or boundary walls and causing severe damage.”
She explains that if trees are well maintained throughout the year, the trees will become stronger. "The healthier and stronger the trees are, the less chance that they have on damaging the rest of the property.”
Fourie provides the below tips for homeowners during autumn and winter to mitigate their risks of trees damaging their properties:
Trim your trees for accessibility and safety
The key to minimising branch breakage lies in maintaining a good pruning system. Therefore, it is a good idea to trim the branches of any old trees. When weak and frail branches are removed, the entire tree will become less vulnerable to breakages or toppling over. It is easier to trim trees during autumn as the branches have no leaves making it easier to see the tree’s structure. However, it is advisable to hire an Arborist (expert in maintaining trees) to trim big tree tops to avoid any unnecessary injury.
Plant trees in the correct location
Before winter sets in, homeowners should use the autumn months to dig up or relocate trees that are planted in places likely to cause trouble. Troublesome locations might include areas such as near foundations, fences or a place where the tree could damage the building in the event that it falls. When homeowners plant new trees, they should always ensure that the soil and height requirements for the tree are met by the selected location.
Water the trees
Homeowners should make sure that they give trees sufficient water during the cold and dry periods of the year. The occasional watering of trees during winter when no rainis forecasted is incredibly important for the wellbeing of the tree and a healthy tree is less likely to fall.
Fertilize and spray for bugs
Trees continue to take up water and nutrients during autumn, therefore it is important to fertilize ahead of winter rains to prevent any chemical burn. By placing compost under the tree, it will help to retain water and reduce temperature extremes in the soil. This will act as a blanket to the tree’s roots. In addition to this, it is equally important to spray trees with insecticides to avoid bugs and insects from attacking trees.
Adding layers of protection
Wrapping the bark of the tree with a special tree blanket can assist to prevent any further winter damage to the bark of the tree. Also consider placing a small fence around the base of trees to keep any animals from nibbling or damaging the tree and its roots.
"By implementing the above steps, homeowners have a better chance of avoiding damage caused by trees during unpredictable winter weather conditions as well as the financial headache of home repairs,” concludes Fourie.
