Recovering from a Disaster - Picking Up the Pieces

Tree Damage

Salvage trees when possible:

• Reset only small, easy-to-manage trees. Large, weakened trees and shrubs may be dangerous, are slow to reestablish and may be susceptible to future problems.
• If large, damaged trees need to be cut down, a professional should be consulted.
• If trying to salvage fallen or partially uprooted trees and shrubs, keep roots covered and moist until resetting.
• Replant trees and shrubs at their original planting depth. Either excess soil or exposed roots can cause further shock and damage.
• Make sure soil is firm around the roots to eliminate air pockets and provide support. Staking the tree during the first year may be needed until roots become reestablished.
• When staking, use hardwood or metal stakes that will not decay in the coming year. Use three stakes and place each at an angle away from the trunk. To avoid injuring the trunk, use a wide strap or wire wrapped in cloth to anchor the tree.
• Water reset trees a little more frequently to promote root growth.

Assess tree loss and damage for insurance purposes:

• Tree loss and damage may be covered by your insurance.
• If you have sustained significant damage to landscape trees, you may want to contact the IRS to learn how tree value is determined.
• To help with insurance claims, take photographs of the damage, keep receipts for repairs and replacement, and collect local newspaper articles as evidence of the storm.

Remove tree debris:

• Find other uses for tree and plant waste to prevent overburdening of landfills.
• as firewood. Ash and oak trees make good firewood; pine is better used in other ways.
• Most tree waste will decay within several years, providing a valuable source of organic matter. Make mulch and compost piles. To learn more, contact the University of Minnesota Extension Service.
• Tree sections may be used as framing, for temporary bridges and for erosion control on hills. In rural areas they may be piled for wildlife habitats or fish shelters.
• Many trees will sprout from the stump and grow again. Trim neatly and make clean cuts when removing branches. Contact a local nursery for pruning advice.
• years. If not removing the stump, speed up the decaying process by occasionally adding nitrogen fertilizer to the top of a grooved stump.

Compost is easy to make:

• Locate pile close to where it will be used but not offend neighbors. Protect from drying winds. Locate in partial sunlight to help heat the pile. The compost pile should initially be prepared in layers to facilitate decomposition by insuring proper mixing. Each pile ideally should be about 5 feet high.
• Simply mix organic materials such as leaves, weeds, and other garden debris into a pile or bin. Moisten the materials as they are placed into the bin.
• Oxygen and water are critical elements in the composting process. Keep the pile moist, but not waterlogged. Avoid over-chopping composting materials or packing of the pile, which restricts oxygen infiltration.
• Compost is ready to use when it has shrunk to one-half its original volume, has lost the identity of the original material, and has a pleasant earthy smell.

What can you compost?

• Leaves, weeds, non-woody shrub trimmings, faded flowers, vegetable tops and vines, shredded black and white print newspapers, manure, and spoiled hay. If grass clippings are composted, they should be mixed with other materials to prevent over-packing that leads to obnoxious odors.
• Sawdust and wood chips can be composted but will require extra nitrogen, such as nitrogen fertilizer or fresh lawn clippings.
• DO NOT COMPOST: Meat, bones, grease, eggs, and dairy products.