The Atlantic hurricane season is officially on its way, and in the wake of Hurricanes Helene, Milton, and Debby, here’s what you can do to prepare your landscape and ensure minimal damage during severe weather.
READ MORE: How to Care for Your Landscape: Before and After the Storm
Preparing Your Landscape for the Atlantic Hurricane Season
The Sturdier, the Better
During a tropical storm, trees that are the sturdiest have the best chance at survival. According to urban forestry agent for the University of Florida Alyssa Vinson, the best way to do this is to keep a close eye on the health of your trees.
“Best management practices include supporting soil health through appropriate fertilization, monitoring landscapes and trees for pests and disease, managing tree roots for health and structure etc.,” she says. “All management that leads to a healthier plant leads to a landscape that’s more resilient to disturbance. That doesn’t mean that a once-in-a-lifetime storm isn’t going to knock down a perfectly healthy tree, just that in normal circumstances a healthy tree is going to fare better.”
Pruning
If you have younger trees, they might need a little extra care to get them ready for difficult weather conditions. Young trees oftentimes need more structural pruning until they reach maturity, at which point they need little to no pruning.
The University of Florida gives these tips on how to foundationally prepare younger trees:
- Look for dying, dead, or broken branches
- Watch trunks for deformities, such as bulges, breaks, or bark shedding
Foundations & Fungal Infections
Check the ground at the base of the tree for gradual sinking or rising in the soil. Additionally, if you see mushrooms growing, this could be a sign that your tree has a fungal infection. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) gives the following definition concerning tree diseases:
“Disease, as it pertains to trees, may be defined as a sustained and progressive impairment of the structure or function of any part of a living tree.”
The FDACS says that these diseases are caused by a variety of factors divided into two groups: non-living, or abiotic, and living, or biotic. “Generally, it is essential to know the specific cause or causes of a tree disease to determine (a) what course of remedial action (treatment), if any, might be effective, and (b) the prognosis for survival and recovery of the diseased tree,” writes the FDACS.
To prepare for hurricane season, you’ll want to check specifically for root diseases. These infections range, according to the FDACS, from feeder root necrosis to vascular occlusions and root rots, or decays.
Outdoor Space Preparation
It isn’t just your trees that will need help this hurricane season; it’s the whole outdoor space. Florida-Friendly Landscaping Director with the University of Florida Claire Lewis gives these tips for general outdoor hurricane preparation:
- Bring in bird feeders and furniture
- Clear gutters of debris
- Secure plants in yard systems
- Turn off irrigation systems
- Secure rain barrels to avoid excess water
To discuss more ways to protect and prepare your landscape during hurricane season, visit our Contact Us page to send questions or schedule an appointment.