Some people think they need to be concerned about their tree care in the fall or during a storm. There is always concern in these instances because it is likely that if a limb or branch were to be damaged it would happen in the storm. When a tree is damaged or broken you often need to have a tree expert out to remove the hazardous limbs. If they are not removed or cared for the tree can be a hazard and cause damage to your home or a person that is nearby. Although a storm is a great time to be concerned about limb drop or damage, it is not the only time. The summer time is also a time of year that you need to be on the look for limb failure. Limb failure or sudden branch drop syndrome is when a tree seemingly out of nowhere loses a branch that drops to the ground. It may seem weird that this would occur but there are some good reasons to help your understanding.

Milam’s Tree Service Explains What Summer Limb Drop is & How Best to Deal With it

What is Summer Limb Failure or Sudden Branch Drop Syndrome?: Summer limb drop is not the same as a branch or limb that falls due to strong wind or damage. It is different in the sense that it can happen on a nice calm but hot day. A limb drop is exactly what it sounds like; when a large branch or limb drops suddenly from the tree. There are many types of trees that this can occur to such as an oak tree, Redwood Ash or Sycamore tree.
Why Do Branches Drop off Trees in the Summer?: If you are concerned about summer limb drop you need to know why it even occurs. First off it does not happen on a windy or stormy day but often in the afternoon of a calm and hot day. On any given day the tree goes through a process that is called evapotranspiration where the tree soaks up water from the ground during the day. Later in the day the tree will release the moisture into the air and that process will occur over each day. On a hot day the tree may soak up more water which usually will be able to release during the long hot day. When you have limb drop it is often because the branch is too heavy. The reason is if the tree has not had enough time to release the moisture during the later part of the day. That means that the tree in the afternoon is now heavy and could be too heavy for some branches. A true summer limb drop is when the limb breaks about three feet from the trunk of the tree.

Tree Care For Damaged Trees & More in McDonough, Jackson, Jonesboro, Fayetteville & Hampton GA | Fayette, Clayton & Henry Counties, Georgia.

If you happen to have a tree that is suffering from a summer limb drop you need to have a professional out. We can come and remove the tree branches that are damaged. We can also look at the tree for any other signs that the tree is under stress. Contact Milam’s Tree Service for all your tree care needs!