planning for and recovery from high wind damage to tropical fruit trees in the home landscape dr....

Planning for and Planning for and recovery from high recovery from high

wind damage to wind damage to tropical fruit trees in tropical fruit trees in the home landscapethe home landscape

Dr. Jonathan H. Crane, Tropical Fruit Crop Dr. Jonathan H. Crane, Tropical Fruit Crop SpecialistSpecialist

University of Florida, IFASUniversity of Florida, IFAS

Tropical Research and Education CenterTropical Research and Education Center

Homestead, FloridaHomestead, Florida

BackgroundBackground We have noted We have noted

after strong after strong wind events and wind events and hurricanes that hurricanes that those fruit trees those fruit trees kept relatively kept relatively small with an small with an open canopy open canopy remain upright remain upright with less limb with less limb breakage than breakage than non-pruned or non-pruned or neglected trees neglected trees that are tall that are tall (large) with a (large) with a dense canopy.dense canopy.

Fruit trees should be pruned Fruit trees should be pruned annually:annually: Remove dead, diseased, and Remove dead, diseased, and

damaged wood.damaged wood. Take out water sprouts.Take out water sprouts. Remove crossed branches back Remove crossed branches back

to their origin (crotch).to their origin (crotch). Remove small branches that Remove small branches that

clutter the center of the tree.clutter the center of the tree. Selectively remove (thin out, Selectively remove (thin out,

drop crotch) limbs to limit tree drop crotch) limbs to limit tree height and spread, and to height and spread, and to reduce canopy wind resistance. reduce canopy wind resistance.

Recommended Recommended maximummaximum tree heights for tree heights for tropical fruit trees in the home landscapetropical fruit trees in the home landscape

TreeTree Height (ft)Height (ft) TreeTree Height (ft)Height (ft)

Avocado*Avocado* 20 - 2520 - 25 CarambolCarambolaa

8 - 158 - 15

Mango*Mango* 20 - 2520 - 25 GuavaGuava 3 – 103 – 10

Mamey Mamey sapote*sapote*

20 - 2520 - 25 Sugar Sugar appleapple

8 -128 -12

Lychee*Lychee* 20 - 2520 - 25 AtemoyaAtemoya 8 – 128 – 12

Longan*Longan* 20 - 2520 - 25 JackfruitJackfruit 9 - 139 - 13

SapodillaSapodilla**

20 - 2520 - 25 *, may be easily maintained at *, may be easily maintained at 12-15 ft.12-15 ft.

Planning Planning priorprior to hurricane to hurricane seasonseason

Survey your landscape for the location of all Survey your landscape for the location of all trees and determine:trees and determine: Those that may need to be pruned to reduce Those that may need to be pruned to reduce

height and/or width and that need canopy height and/or width and that need canopy thinning to reduce canopy wind resistance. The thinning to reduce canopy wind resistance. The idea is to prune trees to allow the wind to move idea is to prune trees to allow the wind to move through the canopy, not push the tree over.through the canopy, not push the tree over.

Have large fruit trees selectively pruned to 20 to Have large fruit trees selectively pruned to 20 to 25 feet in height or less and the canopy thinned 25 feet in height or less and the canopy thinned to allow wind movement through the canopy. to allow wind movement through the canopy. We recommend you hire an arborist to prune We recommend you hire an arborist to prune very large trees. very large trees. Be sure they are licensed and Be sure they are licensed and have insurance.have insurance.


Take photographs of your landscape Take photographs of your landscape prior to strong wind and hurricane prior to strong wind and hurricane events to document the location, size, events to document the location, size, and state of tree health. Place a person and state of tree health. Place a person in the photograph for size comparison.in the photograph for size comparison.

If an arborist and/or landscape company If an arborist and/or landscape company has pruned your trees, keep all receipts has pruned your trees, keep all receipts for documentation.for documentation.


If practical have on If practical have on hand:hand: Chain saw plus fuelChain saw plus fuel Hand saw(s)Hand saw(s) Digging barDigging bar Gloves, gogglesGloves, goggles Pick axePick axe First aid kitFirst aid kit

Whitewash: Either Whitewash: Either white latex paint or white latex paint or powdered lime and powdered lime and zinc oxide. Mix zinc oxide. Mix latex paint and latex paint and water at 1:1 or 1:2 water at 1:1 or 1:2 oror to make your to make your own whitewash, own whitewash, mix 1lb lime and mix 1lb lime and 11/2 oz. zinc oxide 11/2 oz. zinc oxide per gallon of water.per gallon of water.

Tree recovery Tree recovery afterafter the storm the storm

Take pictures of each tree to document the Take pictures of each tree to document the damage.damage.

Caution: Homeowners with tropical fruit trees Caution: Homeowners with tropical fruit trees in their home landscape should be very in their home landscape should be very cautious about trying to stand up large trees. cautious about trying to stand up large trees. When large trees are pruned, they sometimes When large trees are pruned, they sometimes move quickly in unpredictable directions which move quickly in unpredictable directions which can be extremely dangerous. You may want to can be extremely dangerous. You may want to have a professional assist you or do the have a professional assist you or do the pruning or resetting for you.pruning or resetting for you.

Tree toppling – note part of theroot systemremains in the ground

The tree trunk and major limbs are now exposed to intense sunlight (heat). The heat stress damages or kills the living tissues underneath the bark. The damaged parts of the tree trunk and limbs then dry out, crack, and decay, leaving a weak tree.

Man, I’m gettinghot here! It’skilling me.

Tree recovery Tree recovery afterafter the storm the stormFallen (toppled) trees with some root Fallen (toppled) trees with some root

system remaining in the groundsystem remaining in the ground

Shade the sun exposed trunk and Shade the sun exposed trunk and major limbs by either major limbs by either Using broken or pruned limbs that have Using broken or pruned limbs that have

foliage orfoliage or Painting the exposed surfaces with a 1:1 Painting the exposed surfaces with a 1:1

or 1:2 latex paint:water mixture oror 1:2 latex paint:water mixture or Painting the exposed surface with white Painting the exposed surface with white

wash (1 lb lime + 11/2 oz. zinc oxide in wash (1 lb lime + 11/2 oz. zinc oxide in 1 gallon water).1 gallon water).

Ahh…that’scooler.

White wash

Foliage

You gotthat right.We haveit madein the shade.



Pull back the soil fromthe base of the tree outwardso that when the tree is stoodup it sets in the ground atthe same (or nearly the same)height prior to tipping over.



For really large For really large trees, i.e., massive trees, i.e., massive trunk and or height trunk and or height and spread, we and spread, we recommendrecommend hiring a hiring a certified arborist certified arborist and/or landscape and/or landscape company to prune company to prune the tree back and the tree back and stand up the tree stand up the tree with a backhoe or with a backhoe or tractor.tractor.

For medium and small For medium and small trees (trees you feel you trees (trees you feel you can handle), selectively can handle), selectively remove most of the top. remove most of the top. This will a) reduce the This will a) reduce the weight of what is left of weight of what is left of the tree to stand up and the tree to stand up and b) if leaves are present, b) if leaves are present, reduce the water loss reduce the water loss (transpiration) and (transpiration) and potential drought stress of potential drought stress of the fallen tree.the fallen tree.



Caution: When removing (pruning) back large limbs to reduce the tree size – the tree may move upward quickly and in an unpredictable direction. No one should be near the backside of the root system.

Note: You mayneed to cut someseverely brokenroots.


system remaining in the groundsystem remaining in the groundSlowly pull the tree to an upright position. Use only cloth or rope slings to pull trees up – never use wire cable because if it snaps it may cause bodily harm!

Prop up the tree with forked limbscut from thedowned tree.

Push the excavated soil back overThe root system. Water the tree in very well.

Tree recovery Tree recovery afterafter the storm the storm

We recommend that: a) you remove the fruit (we have noted trees with fruit declined more rapidly and many died compared to trees with no fruit and; b) that you strongly consider removing 1/3 to ½ the canopy to reduce the water demand on a damaged and reduced root system. This can be done by selectively removing some limbs.

Standing trees that have leaves but clearly were wind stressed – minor limb damage, twisting, some leaf loss – may also have some root damage. If you see leaves begin to wilt and/or turn brown and/or drop, the tree has some root damage. = selective pruning cuts

Watering for tree recoveryWatering for tree recovery For those trees standing or have fallen over but For those trees standing or have fallen over but

have only a few leaves, do have only a few leaves, do notnot remove all the remove all the leaves; if the trees has a lot of leaves remove 1/3 leaves; if the trees has a lot of leaves remove 1/3 to 1/2 the canopy to reduce tree water loss. to 1/2 the canopy to reduce tree water loss.

Trees with few leaves or NO leaves, once the tree Trees with few leaves or NO leaves, once the tree has been reset (stood up), water the tree in well. has been reset (stood up), water the tree in well. However, after doing this, limit watering the tree However, after doing this, limit watering the tree with no leaves because over watering may cause with no leaves because over watering may cause rotting of the roots. You can begin to water more rotting of the roots. You can begin to water more often once you see new growth beginning to often once you see new growth beginning to emerge (usually 2-3 weeks after the trees have emerge (usually 2-3 weeks after the trees have been defoliated)been defoliated)

Trees with a lot of leaves may be watered Trees with a lot of leaves may be watered normally. For trees with some canopy removed to normally. For trees with some canopy removed to reduce the amount of leaves, reduce the amount reduce the amount of leaves, reduce the amount of water but water frequently.of water but water frequently.

Fertilization for tree recoveryFertilization for tree recovery Trees still standing with few to no leaves or with Trees still standing with few to no leaves or with

some of the leaves cut off by pruning - reduce some of the leaves cut off by pruning - reduce the amount of fertilizer by the percent canopy the amount of fertilizer by the percent canopy not present (e.g., if half the leaves are gone, not present (e.g., if half the leaves are gone, reduce the rate by 50%). However, as the new reduce the rate by 50%). However, as the new leaves begin to come out, use small amounts of leaves begin to come out, use small amounts of fertilizer frequently.fertilizer frequently.

Trees still standing with leaves may be fertilized Trees still standing with leaves may be fertilized normally. normally.

Trees that fell over and are now stood up Trees that fell over and are now stood up (reset): if no leaves, wait a few weeks until you (reset): if no leaves, wait a few weeks until you see new leaves beginning to develop, then see new leaves beginning to develop, then fertilize frequently with small amounts of fertilize frequently with small amounts of fertilizer.fertilizer.

Recovered treeRecovered tree

CreditsCredits

Author – Dr. Jonathan H. Crane, Author – Dr. Jonathan H. Crane, Tropical Fruit Crops SpecialistTropical Fruit Crops Specialist

This presentation is copyrighted, 2005 This presentation is copyrighted, 2005 University of Florida, Institute of Food University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciencesand Agricultural Sciences