Storm Damage Garden Recovery: Restoration After Irish Weather

The storm has passed and the garden looks like a bomb went off. Branches down, maybe a tree over, fences flat and debris everywhere. It is a horrible sight, but it is fixable. The main thing is not to rush in. A bit of care in the first hour keeps you safe and makes the clear-up far easier.

Storms seem to hit us harder and more often than they used to here on the east coast. Knowing how to respond calmly saves money, saves time, and most importantly keeps you out of harm’s way.

Safety first, always

Before you touch anything, walk the garden and look for the real dangers. A messy garden is annoying. A hidden hazard can be deadly.

• Power lines. If a tree or branch is touching or near overhead lines, stay well clear and call the ESB. Never try to move anything near electrics.
• Leaning or split trees. A tree that is leaning, has a split trunk or lifted roots can come down without warning, especially if the wind picks up again or the ground is saturated. Keep your distance.
• Damaged buildings. Sheds, greenhouses and walls can have hidden damage. Do not go inside a damaged structure or stand under a wobbly wall.
• Gas. If you smell gas anywhere near fallen trees, leave the area and call the emergency gas line. Do not flick switches or anything that could spark.

If anything looks unstable or dangerous, leave it for someone with the right gear. It is not worth an injury.

Take a few photos

Once you are sure it is safe, take some photos before you move anything, particularly if you plan to make an insurance claim. Clear, dated pictures of fallen trees, damaged fences and any structural damage make the whole process smoother later on. Contact your insurer sooner rather than later, as many policies have time limits for reporting storm damage.

Working through the clear-up

Recovery happens in stages. Trying to do everything at once is overwhelming and often unsafe.

Clear the dangers and the access first

Start with anything blocking access or creating a hazard, like branches across a path or driveway. Get the routes you need open, then worry about the tidy-up of the rest. There is no rush on the cosmetic stuff.

Deal with the trees

Fallen and damaged trees are the big job. Anything large, leaning, or tangled in lines or structures is a job for someone with a chainsaw, the right training and insurance, not a Saturday-afternoon DIY effort. Smaller branches and brash you can gather and stack for removal.

Some damaged trees can be saved with a sensible reduction rather than full removal, and it is worth getting an opinion before you fell anything established. Others, with a split trunk or badly lifted roots, are safest taken down.

Then the rest of the garden

Once the heavy work is done, you can get back to fences, beds and lawn. Saturated, churned-up ground needs time to dry before you start digging or replanting, so do not feel you have to fix it all at once. Gardens are tougher than they look and most recover well over a season.

Thinking ahead

A few small things make the next storm less painful. Keep big trees sensibly pruned and check them for weak or dead limbs before the windy season. Multi-stemmed trees and native species tend to ride out wind better than tall, top-heavy specimens. Good drainage helps too, since waterlogged ground is what lets trees go over in the first place.

We can handle the heavy clearing

After a storm, the priority is getting fallen branches and trees cleared safely so you can use your garden again. Seamus and the team cover Dundalk and the surrounding Louth and Cooley area and handle tree work, branch clearing and full garden clean-ups. Call 085 168 5170 or get a free quote at /#quote.

For more, see our garden maintenance services and garden clearance in north Louth.