The months have gone by, but it’s not easy to forget the damage that 2011's brutal weather brought to trees in New Jersey. Tropical Storm Irene swept through the area in late August with 120-mph winds and heavy flooding that snapped limbs and swamped root systems. Then in October, a nasty snow and ice storm battered both strong and already weakened trees alike, breaking branches and often pulling them right off the ground. While this turbulent weather is certainly to blame for a lot of damage, a great deal more could have been prevented or mitigated through proper tree care.

Tree Trouble

Trees in New Jersey are exposed to a slew of problems ranging from weather to insects to neglect—these trees have seen it all. Insects are trouble for almost any type of tree variety and neglecting them for too long can severely harm your landscape.

Brian Brunsch, an arborist at SavA Tree Service in Wyckoff says that the last snow storm snapped up many strong varieties of trees, such as oak, maples and hickories while trees damaged by the hurricane were already rotting and thus, unable to withstand the strong rain and winds. Brunsch says that preventative maintenance could have spared the many trees that did not survive the wrath of the weather.

“Most insects and disease eat a certain number of trees, some insects only eat one particular species of trees and usually they only feed a certain time of the year, so you'll actually have an overlap of different insects and diseases in a full year that can affect the tree,” says Brunsch. For example, he says that maple trees and birches are commonly preyed on by boring insects such as beetles, while spruces are prone to spider mites.

Unhealthy soil due to lack of maintenance and care can also damage trees. “Improper soil conditions, soil compaction, improper fertilization, and improper organic matter are spurring a lot of other damage on because trees are stressed out, which makes them more susceptible to disease and insects. They are not strong enough to fight them off,” says Brunsch.

What to Plant?

Although any type of tree will beautify a property, there are certain types of trees that fare well in New Jersey's environment. Brunsch says that shade trees such oaks, ashes, maples, dogwoods are most commonly used on condo and HOA properties and seem to mature as long as they are properly cared for.

“There are a lot of trees that are used, and the landscapers are certainly trying to diversify, which is nice,” he says. “And now, a lot of the landscape planning involves what's helping the trees fare well in the future. Are they going to cover buildings? Are they going to overlap? Are they going to do this, do that? In the past, [landscapers] weren't as aware with some of the older communities that were planted say, 30 or 40 years ago that are now starting to see trees that are invading the buildings. But it's getting better with the landscape architects really making an effort to see both five year, 10 year, 15 year, 20 years down the road.”

Of course, Brunsch mentions that using native species such as oaks and maples will produce the most successful results with the least maintenance. He says he sees many associations reverting back to these varieties, and away from ornamentals such as pears and Norway maples because they are more susceptible to insect damage and require more attention than native species.

In addition to aesthetics, survival probability and maintenance, it is important to remember to plant trees according to their needs (shade vs. sunlight, to name one common distinction) and also take under consideration that many will grow exponentially after they're planted.

“One of the items that we keep trying to get back to is the importance of the selection of the tree and the lot on where it's being planted on the property,” says Mark Allen, regional manager for the Northeast at ValleyCrest Landscape Company. “If you're planting up near a building or a home, you don't want to plant a tree that develops a thick canopy that will have to be pruned in a way that the tree doesn't naturally want to be pruned. If you're planting near sidewalks, you don't want a species that has shallow-growing roots, because eventually it'll affect the sidewalk.”

Joe Berry, a supervisor at ValleyCrest adds, “One issue that we consistently see is people planting trees based on the immediate impact of how that tree is going to look in the just next couple of years. They don't take into consideration that it takes five or six years or more for the tree to reach its mature size. So when you plant that tree, you really need to be thinking what size it's going to be at its maturity.”

Healthy Tree Tips

The maintenance of a tree depends of course on the type of tree it is, but there are some basic care strategies that can be applied to all species. It begins, as mentioned earlier with selecting the right tree for the right location. After you have paired the tree with an ideal spot, it is important to, well actually take care of it.

“One of the largest things we see from an owner perspective is trees need to be maintained. You can't just plant a tree and walk away from it 10 years later. You know healthy trees are a great asset to the property and in order to maintain healthy trees you need to do some preventative maintenance. Similar to that you have to do preventative maintenance on your home or your building. And these types of preventative maintenance practices are mulching, proper grooming, adding soil nutrients when required and preventing or correcting soil compaction,” says Allen.

Brunsch recommends mulching at quantity that is appropriate for the specific tree and this can be determined by your arborist or landscaping company.

“Mulch is a ground-up wood product. It's placed on the top of the soil and it helps conserve moisture, it helps increase biological activity of the soil such as good fungi and bacteria that will help break down organic matter and incorporate it into the soil. It helps keep the roots cooler. But if you put too much of it on, it can be a real detriment to the trees,” he says.

Berry explains that mulching is typically done in the spring and then can be reapplied in the fall if necessary. Pruning, which is like a haircut for trees, is another important step in good maintenance.

“Trees should be looked at for pruning on a certain cycle, depending on the size and species of the tree. A lot of your corrective pruning you would do in the wintertime because your canopy could get too large. It can become a big issue. Also, if the canopy is too thick it'll act like a sail and it will not let the wind through. And then when you get wind storms that's when you can have a lot of damage to your trees,” Berry says.

Berry recommends dead-wooding in addition to pruning and this can be done twice a year.

“Dead wooding is going in once, maybe even twice a year, removing dead branches that are growing in tree. What happens when you remove dead wood is it promotes new growth for the following growing season. If the dead wood stays in, it doesn't give the tree a chance to rejuvenate,” he says.

For more tree specific care you can consult with your arborist and landscaping company to devise a plan that will keep your flora healthy and thriving in all seasons.

Trees that manage to endure New Jersey's changeable weather deserve a little TLC—and associations that appreciate the beauty those trees contribute to the community would do well to take steps to prepare them for the next stormy onslaught.

Lisa Iannucci is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor to The New Jersey Cooperator. Editorial Assistant Maggie Puniewska contributed to this article.