A Quick Guide to Safe Trees During an Unexpected Hurricane

Trees don’t always grow in the best directions, shapes, and places. Branches bend perilously close to power lines, grow too heavy at the ends, or clump together and upset the balance of the tree.

Taking the time to inspect your trees for unsafe growths and developments allows you to prune these dangers away. This keeps limbs from breaking free and flying around in the gale-force winds causing damage. Or worse, a tree falling through your home. People who have survived the experience describe it as “it sounded like a bomb going off,” which is an experience we’d like to save you.

For tall trees, or if you’re unsure what constitutes a danger, contact professionals in your area for a quote on how they can help protect your property.

In some cases, weak branches, v-shaped limbs, and split trunks are a cause for concern but cannot be removed. These need extra support for when heavy rains and wind arrive. By installing flexible steel strand cables and brace rods, these weak points are strengthened and become less of a liability. They can even help the tree grow stronger and healthier year-round.

The installation of these cables and braces must be strategically done so as to best support the tree without adding too much extra weight that will cause more problems than it solves. Contact an arborist or tree-trimming company for help ensuring everything is installed correctly.

The roots of your trees don’t only keep the tree tethered to the ground while the wind is whipping around the branches; they also strengthen every branch and limb. So the healthier the roots are, the better the tree will fare during a hurricane or other big storm.

You can facilitate healthy root growth by mulching and fertilizing your trees regularly. This delivers nutrients right to the roots, helping them grow stronger faster, anchoring them better.

During dry periods, water your trees deeply right at the roots, giving them extra nutrients and helping them grow deeper. You can also renovate the soil with decompaction methods and organic matter to give your trees the best chance during a storm.

Whether you’re in an area that regularly sees hurricanes or you have other forms of storms to contend with, keeping your home safe from your trees is an essential part of home maintenance. By following these guidelines, you can easily incorporate hurricane preparation into your landscaping to mitigate a disaster in the future.

Visit our hurricane preparation page here for tips and tricks on keeping your yard safe during a big storm.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t give any of us a detailed itinerary for when the next earth-shaking, tree-breaking, devastating neighborhood storm will roll in. The best measure to ensure your home isn’t the one on the news with thousands of dollars of damage is to ensure your home and property are always hurricane-ready.

To ensure you’re not missing anything, your home needs before the next big storm, head to our hurricane preparation page and check out our checklist.