FRUIT NOTiSS - November, 1938 



W. H. Thies 

 Extension Horticulturist 



Cooperating v/ith Nature in Salvaging Damaged Trees. 



What things count most in the recovery of a hurricane damaged tree? 

 Thousainds of trees have beon put back in an upright position in Massachusetts 

 with the widest possible range in technique and in thoroughness. S»me will 

 return to normal production promptly. Others will fail completely. Then 

 there will be a big middle class of extremely variable performance. This is 

 the class that deserves our careful attention. We can't afford to nurse along 

 a lot of half dead trees. Better to have young trous growing in thoir place. 

 I wouldn't give a nickel a dozen for some •f the "salvagud" troos in their 

 present condition. Should thuso treos be fertilized this fall? Should they 

 be pruned this fall? The answer to both of thesu questions sooms to be "No." 

 Neither pruning nor fertilization at this season offor any assurance that the 

 tree will be butter off next season. In other words, these are not the essen- 

 tial items in the rdC^very of the tree. In fact, full pruning ht.s proven 

 detrimental when followed by a severe vifinter. And full f urtilizution may 

 occasionally favor winter injury. So we'll have to look f^^rther if we are 

 to find the secret underlying successful recovery. 



It is my opinion that the secret lies in maintaining, so noa.r as posr.i- 

 ble, normal growing conditions. And that, of course, is easier said than done. 

 But it seems of little importance to think in terms of this or that combination 

 of mineral elements, when the tree is desperately in »eed of an unftdling sup- 

 ply of moisture. It seams equally short sighted to give attention to bracing 

 and guying alone while a majar portion of the root system is still surrounded 

 by air pockets if not actually exposed to the rigors of a Now England winter. 

 The terrific shock which comes to a tree when hulf or more of its roots are 

 broken off, needs scarcely to be pointed out. To exp«ct such a tree to resume 

 normal production merely by setting it "back on its faot" and placing a prop 

 under one side is to lose sight of several very important factors. 



Briefly stated, the remaining roots are of moro importance than the 

 top. They must be carefully protectod from low temperatures by a generous 

 layer of soil and they must bo brought into intimate contact vi^ith the soil. 

 Root growth will continuu during the wintor if suitable growing conditions 

 are provided. A layer of mulch material over the injured roots v/ill provide 

 added insurance and Vifill be especially valuable next summer when there is more 

 demand for water and a smaller supply in the soil. A normal pruning sjid an 

 application of a nitrogenous fertilizer over the broken root ends early next 

 spring should also prove beneficial. Then, too, the tree must be held rigidly 

 in place if a now root system is to be developed. There must not be apprecia- 

 ble swaying in any direction. Stakes and guy lines will need careful going 

 over between now and spring. Props, whbre used to supplement vi/ires, are es- 

 pecially subject to shifting as the ground softens in spring. Cases have come 

 to our attention of slackened guy lines, of partially pullud stakes and of 

 trees tipped in an unexpected direction. Shortcomings of this kind bespeak 



Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A. Munson, director, in further- 

 ancs of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Massachusetts State College, United 

 States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating. 



