SAVATREE HELPS CLIENTS AFFECTED BY AUTUMN STORM

Snowy Pumpkins

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — BEDFORD HILLS, NY–(Marketwire – Nov 2, 2011) – Residents of the Northeast are still feeling the effects of the record-breaking nor’easter that hit the region last weekend. Millions of customers were left without power as a result of the storm that wreaked havoc on the area, dropping trees and branches across power lines.

SavATree is working hard to help clients clean up the debris on their landscapes and to understand what made this storm so dangerous, and what can be done to minimize additional damage while restoring their trees, shrubs and ornamentals.

The key difference between a snow storm in late autumn and a storm in the dead of winter lies in the preparedness of the trees. “Deciduous trees are not genetically engineered to withstand the snow loads of an autumn storm” said Daniel van Starrenburg, CEO of SavATree. “When they haven’t had a chance to shed their canopies, these trees are susceptible to dangerous amounts of weight that add up quickly and lead to the failures that we saw with this storm.”

Adding to the danger of an autumn storm, many trees are left with high-hanging, damaged branches or “widow makers” which can cause a great deal of damage or injury if left unattended. To further complicate matters, as branches take on additional weight and press down on each other, they become spring loaded making them extremely dangerous to anyone attempting to work in the tree.

When autumn storms strike, SavATree recommends that you continually assess your landscape and look for opportunities to lend a hand to your trees, ornamentals and shrubs. If a tree is badly bowed, gently shake the trunk to dislodge the snowy burden. Bounce lower branches from underneath to relieve the most heavily stressed areas. Dense evergreens and shrubs are often deformed by heavy snow. Using the bristle end of a broom, gently bounce the middle of the branches from underneath. If however, the weight is from ice then you are often better waiting for the ice to melt.

More than anything, SavATree recommends that everyone impacted by the storm remain patient. Ornamentals, shrubs and trees have amazing restorative powers and abilities to bounce back. “Give your snow a chance to melt and see how your landscape responds. You might be surprised at how resilient your trees and shrubs can be” says van Starrenburg. “If you do encounter trees, shrubs and ornamentals that have been broken, consider professional crown restoration pruning. This will allow them to heal properly and begin the process of regenerating their canopy.”

About SavATree: SavATree, the green choice for tree service and lawn care, provides environmentally sensible tree, shrub and lawn care services to residential, commercial, historic, government properties and more in select parts of CT, DC, MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA and VA. Services include: tree pruning, tree fertilizer, insect control, tree disease and more. Organic, traditional and hybrid options are available. For more information, visit www.savatree.com.