Q: I lost part of my tree in recent strong winds, and I hope I can save the rest of the tree. What should I do? Thanks. — Derek G.

A: As shown in the photos you sent, a major side branch tore downward, creating a large vertical wound in the main trunk. When an injury like this happens to a tree, options are limited, and Mother Nature is usually in the driver’s seat.

The best one can do, after sawing away the hanging limb, is to create a neat, clean cut, removing all loose and jagged bark or jagged wood along the wound’s perimeter.

A tree can continue a healthy existence if it “compartmentalizes” the wound, which means it produces cells that seal off the wound to exclude rotting organisms and other problems. This healing occurs as a roll of tissue forms at the outer edges of the wound,

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