As of June 1st, hurricane season is upon us and we won’t be out of the woods until December. While we’ve luckily avoided a serious storm the last few years (Matthew, nice try though?) anyone who’s been through a real hurricane knows that they are nothing to shake a stick at. So before the El Nino pressure system starts whipping up some serious storms for us, lets go over hurricane preparedness and what that means for you and your landscape. Much of the hurricane damage to homes is caused by trees that either break apart or are uprooted. Elite Landscape Concepts is your choice for landscape maintenance west palm beach. We will take care of all the hurricane preparation for you, so you can get to Publix for supplies. Hurricanes and landscaping are easy with Elite.

BEFORE THE STORM

Begin by evaulating the shady trees on your property. Are there any large branches that you can tell are dead or dying? These are going to be the first to go once the wind picks up and should be removed immediately. If they are close to your home, and look stressed, they pose a threat to your house. Next check for any trees with diseased roots and trunks. Are there cracks in the trunk of the tree or does it have a lean to it? Give it a shove or two to see how loosely it is rooted. Also keep and eye out for fungus or unusual plants living on your tree. Damaged trees can easily topple in high winds.

Another critical area of your landscape that you may not notice needs attention is the waterways. These are gutters, ditches, and drains around the property. They must be cleared if all the excess water the hurricane will bring is going to drain properly. Going up to the roof and clearing gutters is no man’s favorite thing to do. Getting down in the muck and clearing ditches of weeds and debris can be a huge undertaking as well. Make sure your kids toys are removed from the yard and put up in the garage or house. Loose, lightweight objects can clog up drains and waterways and encourage flooding.

All hanging plants, damaged tree limbs, lawn ornaments etc. must be removed to minimize property damage during a hurricane. Finally don’t forget to board up large windows or install hurricane shutters if you have them. Palm beach HAS experienced billions in property damage from one hurricane (Remember Wilma?) so if you live in Palm Beach, landscape maintenance is one quick call away. Call (561) 201-9089 to get an evaluation and quote today!

AFTER THE STORM

If you did not prepare well for the hurricane, there may be quite a bit of cleanup ahead of you. After the hurricane has done its damage you may notice pants in your yard in disarray. As soon as it’s safe to go out, reset and re-stake any shrubs, bushes, or small plants that may have been uprooted. This is a hands on exercise for small, young plants. It is generally best to seek professional assistance for bigger trees.

If you see any large branches that may have broken but are still hanging in a tree, remove these immediately. There may be more harsh weather coming soon and leaving these broken branches unattended can come back to bite you swiftly. They are particularly dangerous and should be dealt with as soon as possible. Splintered, broken stubs where branches broke ought to be pruned neatly but once the branch itself has been removed, the immediate danger is passed.

For the lawn, any dirt or debris deposited by flood waters should be raked off of the lawn. A water hose may be needed to wash down concrete areas that were muddied in the deluge. This ensures the turf can breathe and your grass can recover. Insects will have a great time digging into your ripped up landscape, so don’t waste time! Dead shrubs and uprooted plants should be removed and disposed of correctly. There are big fines for the improper disposal so choose the best landscape maintenance West Palm Beach and Broward County. Use a rake to remove much of the larger material, and then use a hose with a nozzle attached to wash off the remainder.

When high amounts of rainfall have occurred, remove all mulches from around shrubs and in beds until the soil has had a chance to dry out, and then replace it. If the ground stays saturated for an extended period, roots may drown and die, or root rot may occur. The surge of salt water brought inland by a hurricane can cause a lot of damage to turf, grasses on lawns, golf courses, parks and playgrounds. Thoroughly watering the grass as soon as possible with clean, fresh water is probably the most important practice to follow. Contact the professional landscapers at Elite landscape today!

South Florida survives some very powerful storms during our rainy season (May through November.) Hurricanes and landscaping cleanup can be very expensive. It is far more cost effective to remove dangerous tree’s from your property before the storm has a chance to send them into you or your neighbors roof. Elite Landscape Concepts tree removal service will have our experts assess the dangers of overhanging branches and trees to ensure your home makes it safely though the storm. If your yard was compromised during a hurricane our Storm recovery experts can get you cleaned up in no time!