KVOA

Posted: Nov 2, 2009 10:22 PM
Updated: Nov 3, 2009 2:44 PM

CORPUS CHRISTI - Months of drought, plus recent heavy rain and high wind, have taken its toll on the trees in South Texas. 

Lots of the trees have been left with weak, brittle limbs that are ready to snap off. 

"It's the worst since I've been in business," tree expert Dennis Marion said.

Everywhere people go they'll notice piles of dead branches that were weakened by the drought and broken during the last couple of storms.

"When we get a lot of rain the trees get weak in the drought and then the rain pushes a lot of weight down on the branches, which produces a lot of growth,” Marion said.

Marion said he's seen this pattern before, but never quite this bad. Limbs made brittle from the drought just can't handle the weight of new growth once the rains return and it's an easy target for a good gust of wind.

"And then the wind doesn't help. The wind tends to push them, helps them break and fall,” Marion said.

Marion added that the key to survival for your drought-damaged trees is proper maintenance.

"Keep all of your dead wood cut out of the trees and keep them pruned up where you don't have one branch holding a lot of significant weight on one side, which will prevent them from breaking in the wind and rain,” Marion said.

Marion also offers up some good advice for "when" not "if"  the next drought hits.

"You need to keep your trees watered and try to keep them healthy and trimmed back as much as possible,” Marion said.

 If you're concerned about trees on your property, calling in a tree specialists  to inspect them is the best way to get an accessment of any problems. If you're not sure what you're doing, tree trimming is a job best left to professionals.