Tree damage

Our area has had a terrible time with ice damage lately! I hope that as you are reading this column, you are safe and warm. Many people are concerned about property damage from trees that gave way to the weight of the ice. That is, of course, very important and I encourage everyone to consult a professional to clean up and avoid power lines. It is going to take a long time to fully recover from this storm.

If you are also concerned about your landscaping, this week’s column has information to help you understand the damage that winter storms can do and how to best help your trees and shrubs recover. At my house, I have quite a few shrubs that I have worked on for many years to grow and flourish. Seeing them weighted down with ice is concerning and I want to do what I can to help them as the ice melts.

As I have stated many times before, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service regularly publishes research-based information for use out in the counties through the local offices. There are four agents who work in four programs in Greenup County: Agriculture/Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Science, 4-H Youth Development, and Fine Arts/Community Development, and all agents have access to the publications from all program areas.

I try to share information from each program area on rotation by relevance in this column. If you have any questions or need more specific information for your own landscaping on your property, feel free to contact our office and we will help you get what you need. Stay safe and warm!

Avoid tree damage from winter storms

Source: Bill Fountain, professor, UK Department of Horticulture

It’s winter, and in Kentucky that means your trees and shrubs may be coated at some point with a thick layer of wet, heavy snow or ice. This may cause branches to bend or even break, which could result in property damage, disrupt electrical service or harm people.

Refrain from hitting ice and snow-covered shrubs with a broom or shaking them to release the weight of the snow or ice. The liquids within the stems are probably frozen. Moving the stems can cause ice crystals to break and damage the plant’s conductive tissues, so the plant will not be able to move water from the roots to the foliage when spring comes. Letting the snow and ice melt gradually is usually best. Trees and shrubs that do not immediately spring back to their original upright habit will often do so with time.

Freezing rain is an occasional problem that is best dealt with before winter. Fast-growing trees have softer wood that is more prone to breakage. Multi-trunked trees have more branches toward the outside that result in uneven loading. When this is coupled with more surface area for ice to adhere, you have a prescription for failure. Needled evergreens and broadleaf evergreen trees and shrubs collect more ice and wet snow and break under heavy loading. Examples of broadleaf evergreens include southern magnolia, evergreen hollies and rhododendron. Prune English ivy from deciduous trees. It can grow into the tree canopy, collect ice and snow and cause the tree to fail.

When pruning plants, do not remove too much interior growth. Removing too many of the interior branches can result in more damage from wind-loading. Rounding-over shrubs like crape myrtle, forsythia and spirea results in an abundance of shoots at the end of the pruned stem. These shoots collect more ice and wet snow resulting in more damage than if the shrub had been left unpruned. When it is time to remove old, poorly flowering stems, cut them to the ground leaving only a 3-inch stem. Remove only a third of the old stems each year to maintain the desirable form of the plant. This allows the plant to produce vigorous, new shoots and keeps it from looking leggy.

Dense shrubs, such as yews or junipers, may split in the middle, leaving an unattractive donut-shape. These plants cannot be pruned to repair the damage. It is best to remove them and plant something else.

Get advice on trees from an International Society of Arboriculture-Certified Arborist. Log onto https://www.treesaregood.org/. Enter your location, and you will immediately receive a list of ISA Certified Arborists in your area. You can also select arborists who have the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) credential. Individuals trained in tree risk assessment can provide you with a risk rating and help you understand your tolerance for risk. Good tree care isn’t expensive, poor tree care is.

For more information, contact the Greenup County office of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.

Anne Stephens, Extension Agent for Fine Arts in Greenup County can be reached at 606-836-0201 or anne.stephens@uky.edu. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND KENTUCKY COUNTIES, COOPERATING

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How to Address Restriction & Mask Fatigue

Do you find yourself thinking that you are just tired of social distancing rules and masking? Do you wonder if it is worth it? Do you sometimes think that you can’t stand it anymore? Are you worn out and just want things to go back to “normal”?

I think that most people feel this way on some level. Change is always hard, but the change that we have all endured over the past (almost) year is unprecedented! Everything has been changed and it is very difficult for everyone.

Lately, I have been sharing articles that are published by the University of Kentucky in my column because they are timely, research-based, and meant to be shared through UK affiliated informational channels. That is one of the many functions of Cooperative Extension – to share information in our community.

Although we are weary of this type of information, it is still relevant and important that we embrace it and use it for the good of the many. Anytime you feel that you would like to have more information on this or other topics that address family life and health, you are welcome to reach out to your local Extension Office. We are dedicated to life-long learning, community development, and personal connection.

I encourage everyone to stay vigilant, aware, and cautious when it comes to your own health and the health of your loved ones. Don’t forget that mental health is just as important. We all need to do everything we can to stay connected with each other and our own mental wellbeing.  

How to Address Restriction & Mask Fatigue

By Diana Heiman, MD, CAQSM, provider in the department of Family and Community Medicine at UK HealthCare.

COVID-19 restriction fatigue and mask fatigue are real. We likely are all at the point where we are tired of wearing masks and not being able to visit family, eat out in restaurants and socialize the way we are used to.  So, why is it important to address this fatigue?

COVID-19 is still out there and the variant from the United Kingdom has been identified in Kentucky. This variant is significantly more contagious than the original virus. Because it is more easily spread, it is predicted that this variant will lead to most new COVID infections by the end of March. Fatigue for mask-wearing, physical distancing and handwashing can lead to carelessness in performing these activities. This can then lead to an increased spread of infection, and possibly hospitalization and death. It will take many months to vaccinate enough people across the US and world to gain the herd immunity that is needed to be able to stop community spread of the virus.

You may ask, how do I decrease this fatigue and make sure I’m staying safe?

First would be to identify your fatigue-like behaviors. The more aware you are of this negative approach could impact you, the more good choices you could make in the future.

Second, make sure you remain connected to family and friends. Take time to call, email, text, FaceTime or Zoom with them. Focus on being physically distant, not socially. Maintaining connections with those who support you is crucial. Being able to communicate, vent, socialize, or whatever is important to you, can make the difference in reducing restriction fatigue.

Third, avoid negativity and focus on positive things. Spend some time each day thinking about three good things that happened that day  It could be as simple as hearing a funny joke that makes you laugh, hearing from a friend or reading a good book. Reflecting on those things at the end of the day can make a huge difference in your mood and ability to refocus. It will help to create a more positive outlook overall. Since we tend to focus more on the negative things that happen, using this simple technique can lead to an improved mood the next day, and on and on.

Finally, try to think about things you can change and not the things you can’t.  You can control your risk by wearing your mask, staying at least 6 feet from others and washing your hands frequently. You can’t change the behavior of others, and getting frustrated by what they do or don’t do will only increase your fatigue. Focus on yourself, stay positive and continue to be safe.

Anne Stephens, Extension Agent for Fine Arts in Greenup County can be reached at 606-836-0201 or anne.stephens@uky.edu. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND KENTUCKY COUNTIES, COOPERATING