As hurricane season comes closer by the day, it’s common to see quite a bit of advice covering how to prepare your property for hurricane season. Less common, however, are sources explaining what to avoid doing in preparation for a hurricane. Being proactive about your property maintenance is fantastic and necessary when gearing up for a hurricane. That said, it’s just as important to understand what counterproductive pitfalls to avoid. Today, we’re going over tree maintenance mistakes to avoid before hurricane season. To learn more about them, keep on reading!

One of the biggest perks of Florida weather is that, if you want to plant a tree on your property, you can do so almost year-round. That said, avoid the temptation of planting new trees, installing new plants, or updating your herb garden the weeks before hurricane season. You want to give your trees and plants plenty of time to take root and stabilize before having to withstand a hurricane. Late summer and early fall simply don’t give them enough time and will likely result in messes or even property damage. Save new plantings for the spring.

It’s a great idea to get your trees pruned a few months before hurricane season; doing so removes weak branches, encouraging your trees to grow bigger and stronger. It’s definitely important to be proactive about calling a trusted professional to prune your trees a couple of months before hurricane season. Don’t hold off until the late summer or early fall – doing so can cause loose branches to remain lodged in your trees, causing a big mess and increasing the risk of projectiles in the face of a hurricane. Be sure to schedule pruning now, while there’s plenty of time.

One of the most common property maintenance mistakes made by homeowners year-round is not recognizing the tell-tale signs of tree decay. It’s especially important now, with hurricane season right around the corner, that you take a closer look at your trees to make sure all is well. Be on the lookout for deep gashes or holes in the tree bark, unusual mushroom growth around tree roots, gray or flaking roots, multiple dead branches in one tree, and/or an absence of bugs or birds on any given tree. One or more of these symptoms is likely pointing to tree decay. If you notice any of these, call a professional tree maintenance company right away. When a tree decays, its entire structure is compromised, so it’s crucial to take care of a dying or decayed tree before it has to reckon with hurricane-force winds.

Perhaps the biggest of all tree maintenance mistakes to avoid before hurricane season is procrastinating on getting professional property maintenance services. Ultimately, the only way to be certain that your property is in optimal condition to weather hurricane season is to have it inspected and worked on by an expert. We highly recommend calling a trusted professional to prune your trees and take a look around your property in order to catch potentially hazardous issues early on. Chances are, there won’t be much that’s needed beyond a standard pruning; that said, with hurricanes right around the corner, it’s advisable to know for sure.

We hope that this overview of the biggest tree maintenance mistakes to avoid before hurricane season has been helpful in getting you prepared for what’s to come. By being proactive and working with a tree maintenance professional who you can trust, you’ll be well set up for whatever the Florida fall brings. To get a free quote on your property maintenance services, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.