Why Trim Trees Before Storm Season in Oxford, MS
Trimming is the cheapest storm protection most homeowners can buy. The goal is not to make a tree smaller for its own sake, but to remove the wood most likely to fail and let wind pass through the canopy.
Late winter, before spring storms, and late summer, before fall storms, are both good times to schedule.
Key Takeaways
- Pre storm trimming removes the wood most likely to fail.
- Thinning lets wind pass through instead of pushing the tree.
- Topping creates weaker, more dangerous trees.
- Schedule in late winter or late summer before peak storms.
What Pre Storm Trimming Includes
Removing dead and broken limbs, clearing branches off the roof, trimming back from the service line to the house, and selectively thinning a dense canopy so wind is not pushing against a solid wall of leaves.
Why Topping Is a Mistake
Topping cuts the top of a tree off at random points. The tree responds with dense, weakly attached sprouts that break easily, and the large cuts invite decay. A topped tree is usually more dangerous in a storm a few years later.
Roof Clearance
Limbs rubbing a roof damage shingles and give squirrels a path in. Keeping several feet of clearance also means a small branch failure lands in the yard, not on the roof.