Regular Maintenance is Important

The best way to minimize storm damage is to regularly trim and clean your trees.  If you don't do it, the wind and rain will do it for you.

Develop a regular maintenance schedule.

The time you invest now is time you will not have to spend after a storm when there may be other more important priorities.

Plant trees in scale with the size of your property.

Sure, shade is great, but large trees need a lot of space for root development.

If your lot is only 100 feet wide, stay away from large trees that will become a liability as they get taller.   

To trim large trees requires specialized equipment, such as a lumberjack with chainsaw, a bucket truck and chipper.  Contemplate whether you want to give yourself that extra expense.

You are at the mercy of the schedule of your tree-trimmer, who may be overwhelmed with work and might not be able to come out right away.  

Do Not Over-Water

One of the biggest reasons that trees do not develop strong root systems is because the roots do not have to venture far to satisfy their needs.

Once established, most plants only need supplemental watering when it hasn't rained for a while.  

Think of your plants as a baby in a high chair and think of water as chocolate chip cookies: not too many, not too often.  Both will grow up to be healthier.

There are many small-to-medium sized trees and shrubs that have been living through hurricanes in this area for millennia.  Why not give them a try?

At left, the upright form of Spanish Stopper  Eugenia foetida stands up well in heavy winds.

Black Ironwood has the hardest wood in North America, and develops into a fine little tree.  Even when mature, it can still be pruned annually with a pole saw.

If you have a story about additional native plants that have performed well in the face of tropical weather events, please e-mail it to us at hurricane@plantcreations.com.