While you would typically associate the month of June with nice, dry and relatively settled conditions weather-wise, this year has seen the month start off with some incredibly high winds – which could prove quite destructive if you haven’t been taking care of your trees at home.
According to the Guardian, a man has died after a tree was blown down by the wind and landed on his car, which should be all the warning you need to call out tree surgeons in Rickmansworth so you can make sure your trees are safe and don’t pose a serious health risk.
Parts of the UK have been battered by winds of up to 50mph this week, while Tuesday (June 6th) saw over two inches of rain fall. A yellow warning for high winds was issued by the Met Office for the whole of England and Wales (apart from the north-east), with the weather causing train delays and falling tree branches.
Even former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg was inconvenienced by trees and bad weather, saying he was late for an election campaign event in Sheffield because of the conditions. “As the train was speeding out of Derby there was quite a sort of shuddering impact because the train hit what I assume was quite a large tree across the track. So the train was stopped until the tree was removed and disgorged from between the wheels of the front carriage and then we moved on, so all was well and nobody was hurt.”
Homeowners should always pay close attention to the weather reports so they can prepare for high winds and not worry that their trees could come down. Any dead trees should be removed, while overhanging branches that come near structures should be cut down as well.
Remember that falling trees and any debris blowing about in strong winds and storms can result in both fatalities and structural damage – and it’s your responsibility to maintain the trees in your garden, so trimming them back and removing weak branches is certainly advisable if a storm is brewing.
However, it’s rare for trees to fall over or drop limbs because they’re too big. You’d be wise to prune back large trees rather than top them, since topping can result in potentially hazardous rotten trees. Topping can lead to the rapid growth of smaller limbs that are therefore weaker and more likely to fall from the tree. Pruning, however, can reduce the bulk of the tree, reduce wind resistance to make it safer and also allow more wind to pass through it.
Get in touch with a local tree surgeon for further advice. The best time to prune a tree is in the first ten years after it’s been planted so you can train it properly and promote good form and growth. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with us at Arbormedics today.