Give your damaged plants extra TLC this season

Trees and plants damaged by recent tornadoes may be in a state of shock and need some pampering this spring and summer.

"Give them extra care, watering and fertilizer this season," said Susan French, Virginia Beach horticulture extension agent.

Beyond a little TLC, French and Brian O'Neil, horticulture director at Norfolk Botanical Garden, have some practical tips for caring for your storm damaged landscape:

-Look for broken branches on trees and prune them or get a professional to do it, O'Neil said. Breaks could be unsafe and are an invitation for insects and disease.

-Look for large splits that go deep into the bark and expose the cambium layer which carries nutrients to the tree, said French. If the layer is exposed, the tree might not survive.

-Try to prune as lightly as possible. It will take years for trees to grow back in a shapely fashion. "If a third or more of a tree or shrub is missing, consider whether replacing the plant would be better than nursing it back to health," French said.

-Make sure the arborist you hire is certified by the International Society of Arboriculture, French advised. For more information, go to www.isa-arbor.com/home.aspx.

-Don't worry if wind has scoured leaves off the trees. Just wait. "Mother Nature will put them back," O'Neil said.

-If small trees are uprooted, try to get them righted and back in the ground as soon as possible. Keep them watered and often they will go on as if nothing happened. Stake them for at least a year to let the roots take hold, O'Neil said. Much of the same advice goes for shrubs.

-Make sure that heavy equipment moving in to repair your home and prune your trees doesn't damage the trees' roots. Keep away from the drip line of the trees, French said.

-If plants beneath a tree lose their tree you may have to transplant them to another shady place. "It could be an opportunity to rethink your landscape," O'Neil said.

As for the loss of bedding plants and perennials, replant. It's not too late. "There are still plenty of plants out there," O'Neil said. "It can be a spirit lifter."

Virginia Tech has a publication on storm-damaged landscapes. It is geared more to hurricanes, but a lot of the information holds true. Visit www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/disaster/490-329/490-329.html or it may be simpler to Google "The Storm-Damaged Landscape after a Disaster."

If you have questions, you may be able to get answers from the Suffolk Master Gardeners' Growline at (757) 514-4335.

Mary Reid Barrow, barrow1@cox.net