At ABC 1-2-Tree, we are veterans when it comes to our beautiful Florida weather. Not only do our thunderstorms come packed with lightning and high winds, we also have busy hurricane seasons. Let us take a look at your property and evaluate the best plan of action to keep not only your property safe, but you and your family.
Storm Preparation Info
Heavy rain with flooding, lightning, high winds or a combination of any of these severe weather outbreaks can stress your trees, from their root systems all the way to their branches and leaves. Proper tree maintenance can reduce damage to your trees and property, maximizing your safety.
Preventative Pruning
Regular tree maintenance can mean a world of difference when it comes to tree strength during a storm. Preventative pruning to thin the canopy (the top of the tree) reduces wind resistance and in turn, the force that can damage branches or even the trunk of the tree. In addition, pruning removes dead branches that can break easily, causing damage to the tree and the surrounding landscapes. Both the size of a branch and the size of its attachment to the rest of the tree determine its strength, so careful evaluation is needed to determine which branches may need to be removed or reinforced by cabling and bracing.
Mulching
Protecting the root system of the tree is also important. A wide mulch ring around the base of the tree removes the need to use lawn mowing equipment close to the roots of the tree, minimizing damage, and also allows water and nutrients to drain down through the soil to the roots.
Lightning Protection
Lightning in Florida is a huge concern with summer storms. Lightning will strike anything that provides a good path for the electrical charge to travel from the storm cloud to the ground, including trees. Installing lightning protection systems in valuable trees can help prevent damage. Your ABC 1-2-Tree Professional may recommend a lightning protection system for your landscape trees that directs electrical forces down a series of wires and into the ground, away from the tree itself.
Watch for Cavities
An open cavity in a tree’s trunk, just like in a person’s mouth, creates a weak spot in the entire structure. A tree with strong, healthy wood is more likely to survive destructive, stormy weather.