While I believe everyone is incredibly thankful for the recent rainfall we have been receiving, the sudden downpours and strong wind can cause issues for your trees and gardens. When assessing damage to trees after a storm it is most often a question of whether the tree can survive or not. If the main trunk of the tree has been split or the bark has been split deep enough to expose the cambium, the cell layer underneath the outer and inner bark, the tree is more than likely too damaged to attempt to save and should be removed. If broken limbs are the issue at hand the way they are pruned has a significant impact on survival chances of the tree. Prune the branches back to the next larger branch or trunk by making several cuts; this will prevent the entire branch from breaking before through and peeling back more bark from the remaining portion of the tree. If cutting back to the trunk cut flush at the collar area, the area between the branch and the trunk; do not cut flush to the trunk as this will expose a larger wound that will leave the tree open to more disease and insect issues. Topping of your tree is not a recommended practice; topping is where the main branches are cut, leaving only stubs. Topping makes the tree use more energy to produce new branches, which are often not as strong and have a greater likelihood of breaking in future storms, and it leaves the tree less energy to fight off diseases and insects. Slow, soft rain is always nice to help green up yards and water plants and gardens for free, but the torrential downpours some areas have seen can wreak havoc on your flowers and plants. It is important to avoid having standing water around your gardens and flowers beds if at all possible. Standing water cuts off the oxygen to roots; most plants can handle up to 24 hours of standing water, but past that there will be plant loss. If the standing water heats up after a rainfall event it also has the ability to “fry” the roots, which will kill the plant. Proper drainage is key to avoiding these issues. Heavy rain, wind and hail can also cause damage; if the stems and fruit are bruised due to hail or beating down rain, you may need to pull up the plant and replant. However, if the damage is limited to the leaves recovery may be possible. If the plant is leaning due to the wind do not try to bend it back, it will be more susceptible to breakage, more than likely it’ll straighten itself out within a few days. In this part of the country where the wind never stops and storms are often strong and severe it’ll take extra effort to raise a successful garden, but the reward will be so sweet this summer when you get to enjoy fresh, homegrown vegetables and fruit! For any questions or more information about tree and garden care contact your local extension agent or the Collingsworth County Extension Office at (806) 447-2313.