Creating A Lush and Welcoming Landscape

An uprooted tree damages more than just the tree, it can also disturb the lawn and damage hardscaping like sidewalks and driveways. In severe cases, the tree may land on your home where it causes even more damage. What to do with the tree depends on several factors, which include the cause of the upheaval as well as the age and size of the tree. 

Common Causes 

Young trees that haven't sent out sufficient roots are more likely to fall over and uproot than larger established trees. Reasons for this range from failure to stake the tree properly for local weather conditions at planting, to planting in compacted soil that inhibits the young roots from spreading out to establish beyond the initial planting hole.

The cause for uprooted mature trees is often disease, most often some sort of root rot that has impacted the anchoring roots. Shallow root systems, which can be the result of frequent and shallow watering, are also often to blame. Over-saturated soils are another common cause, as these soils may not be able to support the weight of a large tree moving in the wind. 

Replanting Possibilities

Sometimes it is possible to save a tree that has been uprooted. Age and size are the main contributing factors to the success of the endeavor. Younger trees, particularly those that were planted in the last year or two, are most likely to survive as long as there are no signs of disease and the root ball is mainly intact. They will need to be staked after replanting, possibly for a year or more, so the roots have time to establish a deep hold in the soil.

Large, mature trees likely won't survive. Most of their root system was likely severed when the tree blew down. Further, large trees are more likely to have other contributing factors that led to the uprooting. These include problems like poor root development and root rot. In general, larger mature trees need to be fully removed.

Removal Options

If the tree is uprooted completely and fell on open ground, removal is fairly straightforward. Your tree service will arrive, cut the limbs from the tree, then section up the trunk for easy removal. Most of the tree will be chipped for easier transport. You can also keep some of these wood chips to mulch over the hole left by the roots.

Partially uprooted trees may need to be dug out with a backhoe or similar heavy equipment. This may be challenging if the tree pulled up nearby paving or landed on your home. In this case, the tree service will need to work carefully so that the tree causes no further damage. 

Contact a tree removal company for more help if saving the tree isn't possible.