Humpty Dumpty, the Tree that Might Fall

89.3 WRKF Baton Rouge | By Dan Gill

Published June 7, 2014 at 7:22 AM CDT

Southern red oaks do not shed their leaves early in high winds. One result is that their canopy acts as a sail that can pull the trees over in a storm.

Now that hurricane season is here, it's time to look at the trees in your landscape. A tree that's sickly, low in vigor, and shows significant signs of rot can be a real liability during storms. In the high winds of a hurricane, trees with weakened trunks are likely to go over. The extreme rains can soak the soil so much that trees can topple over if their weight is not balanced.

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Louisiana News home & garden

Dan Gill

Dan is an Associate Professor in Consumer Horticulture with the LSU AgCenter. He is the spokesperson for the LSU AgCenter’s "Get It Growing project," an effort encouraging home horticulture throughout Louisiana. Dan is also author of "Month-by-Month Gardening in Louisiana" and co-author of the "Louisiana Gardener’s Guide."

Humpty Dumpty, the Tree that Might Fall

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